‘Gombe is leading to be the independent sovereign state in terms of infrastructural development’ – VP Osinbajo
By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, said that Gombe State has risen very rapidly to be an independent sovereign state because of the developmental strides made by the State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya in three and half years.
Speaking at the Closing Ceremony of Gombe State Investment Summit held in Gombe, Friday, Osinbajo said he was proud with the way the state is being planned and the giant strides the governor has achieved so far, noting that they are sure that next year it will be better in Gombe in terms of resounding achievements which he described as commendable.
Vice President pointed out the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park which is 1000 hectares of land is ready and these investments would create 10,000 jobs while 369 hectares is used as the first phase of the project and it will provide Great opportunities to the people of Gombe State.
On Investors, Osinbajo commended them, adding further that their presence and participation had made the Investment Summit a successful one.
Osinbajo, disclosed that Gombe State is receiving accolades from both National and International Agencies which basically shows the commitment of Governor Yahaya’s sterling leadership.
Vice President also revealed that the state governments are doing better because of the Federal Government’s efforts to provide enabling environment that allows investments- flow and various Federal Government interventions that have impacted positively in the lives and welfare of the people.
He mentioned the articulated developmental plans of DEVAGOM encapsulated in their developmental documents that contains five pillars development plans as commendable which focused focusing on the adequate provision of security and enabling environment and other initiatives provided by Gombe State Government under the leadership of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, no doubt made the summit remarkable.⁰⁰
Also, the Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has revealed that his intentions was to address the state challenges through his developmental documents contained in his DEVAGOM, a developmental plans of 10 years starting from 2021 to 2030.
The Governor explained that the DEVAGOM was built around five pillars of economic development, namely, infrastructure, sustainable environment, governance and institutional capacity. All these pillars are fully aligned with the sustainable development goals as set out by the United Nations.
He further said that his administration realized that in order to put the state on the path of sustainable progress and long-term prosperity, they strategically invested in both human capital and infrastructural development.
Yahaya added that human capital development will enable them to equip their teeming youth with the requisite skills, knowledge and expertise to succeed in the rapidly changing digital world.
They are working to leverage on digital skills and opportunities to develop Gombe into a regional ICT hub in order to harness the creative energies of the youth and solidified the resilient infrastructure being put in place to serve as catalyst for industrialization and growth, unlock opportunities and deliver sustainable prosperity to the people.
The Governor said that the Network 11-100 project, the Gombe Mega Motor Park project, the Gombe Regional Water Expansion Scheme, and most importantly, the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park. The 1000-hectares mega industrial facility is strategically located along the linking point of transport and energy infrastructure and it is expected to help consolidate Gombe’s position as the industrial hub of the North-east subregion.
Signing Dr Cyril Christopher’ s MoU of N7.3 billion which was witnessed by the Vice President,Emir of Gombe, Minister of Digital Communication and economy, Prof Isa Pantami and other dignitaries will open up Gombe State industrially, increase revenue generation, provide over 10,000 jobs and will add to the economic growth of the state.
Also, Emir of Gombe , Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar 111 commended the initiatives of the Governor which has produced positive results and dividends of democracy to the people of Gombe State.
Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami commended the Governor for his initiatives like Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park that shall provide jobs, providing enabling environment to investors and private sector participation and also organizing Gombe State Investment Summit where investors from different parts of the Country and beyond conveyed for the Gombe State Investment Summit to invest and described such investments initiatives as rewarding and commendable.
The Minister also said that no responsible Government both at federal government and State levels would ignore the Private sector participation which drives the economic growth higher and he commended the Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya towards providing such initiatives that is leading to Job creation and providing enabling conducive environment for private investors to invest- in and also pledged to support this giant initiative from the Federal Government’s level as the Minister from the Gombe State.
The Managing -Director of North East Development Commission, Alhaji Mohammadu Alkali explained that the birth of commission was as a result of insurgency eleven years ago while Gombe State suffered because of inflow of Internal Displaced persons from the affected states because of its conducive environment and security.
The Commission , he said, had Master plans which has four basic implementation programmes with over 120 villages from the North East Subregion have benefited from it and the implementation has 12 pillars and each pillar has its aims and objectives of developing the North East region.
Alhaji Alkali revealed s that the master plan of the Commission is to engulf 80 billion dollars to implement the master plans within the North East Zone.
