Gombe State Government has tasked Federal Government agencies operating in the state to cultivate healthy synergy with government for residents to benefit maximally from their mandate.
The Secretary to Government of the State, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, made the disclosure when he received on behalf of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the North-East Regional Coordinator of the National Identity Management Commission along side State Coordinator and Staff on a familiarisation visit at the Government House Gombe on Monday.
The governor said it was due to poor synergy between the Commission and the state government that majority of citizens have been denied access to it services to obtain the Identify Number which has since became an important civic duty and veritable data base for planning and policy formulation for good governance.
He further noted with concern that Commission began Operations in the State since 2012 could only register only 1.1 million people out of the estimated population of about four million describing it as unacceptable.
Yahaya therefore directed the State Coordinator to liaise with the Senior Special Assistant on Development Partner Coordination Dr Babayo Ibrahim Yakubu, to come out with work plan that will accelerate the registration and capture of more people of the State.
He maintained that the state government welcomes any programme or project initiated by the Federal Government or intervention from donor agencies for the good of Gombe State citizens, adding that “government will ever be willing to partner with a view to facilitating its execution for the betterment of the people.”
Earlier, the Coordinator of NIMC Mrs Dursila Alfred Zakka-Shilong, said they were at the SGS office to familiarise themselves and to seek partnership with the state government in their quest to deliver the mandate of Commission among is the registration and capture of all citizens of the state in Identity Number data base for development purposes.
In his remarks,the Regional North-East 1 comprising Gombe, Adamawa and Bauchi State Coordinator Engineer Muhammed Auwal Sanusi, said the recent posting to head the regional office was as a result of ongoing restructuring of the operations of the Commission by the current Director General.
Sanusi also informed the government that the exercise has been slow in the state hence, the need for effective collaboration to expedite the capture of more people into the scheme.
He appealed to the government to look into the challenges hampering the speedy registration and capture of people which according to him include inadequate public education, mobilisation, stakeholder engagement and decentralisation of the registration centres to make the process more accessible to the people.
Joshua Danmalam
Information Officer SGS’ office
I support this program because it will enhance the good people of Gombe state and is good idea noted by our beloved governor Muhammad inuwa yahya (DAN MAJEN GOMBE). And this program it will be achieve, since it’s under the office of capable Dr. in person of Dr ishiyaku babayo I wish Gombe state to be the best accepted state by registration.