The Executive Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to bolstering President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on Food Security and other federal government initiatives.
The Governor, who stated this when he received in audience, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Barrister Muhammad Bello Goronyo, at the Government House, assured of Gombe State’s synergy with the federal government towards achieving self-sufficiency in food production by leveraging available water and land resources.
Governor Inuwa said the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu is compatible with his administration’s development policies as encapsulated in the ten-year development plan of the state (Devagom).
“The renewed hope Agenda which seeks to provide or restore the food security of this country, and improve on it , taking it to higher level, is something that we really align with”, he said, assuring to give all the needed support towards actualisation of the agenda while urging the federal government to do more in supporting the state to harness its water potentials.”
“We have our own dam, the Balanga Dam which has been lying fallow for so long. We are not saying you fund it, but give us the technical support to identify very reputable partner who are into business to improve productivity and provide food security”, he said.
The governor appreciated the support of the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation in curbing the aged-long water scarcity especially in the state capital and its environs through the Gombe regional water expansion project and other collaborative projects that help in reducing the water supply problem to the barest level.
“At this very crucial moment, where we are almost 90% or so, nearing completion of the Gombe regional water expansion project, it is not an easy task; a 160km of pipe network, 3 mega booster stations, borehole-based mini water schemes, and many other facilities needed for lifting and pumping, I think with these, we are good to go”.
He promised to commit more resources to any project that will bring positive impact on the life of the common man. “We will continue to do our best to make sure that whatever we agree on, we fulfill our own part of the obligation and together we will win the fight to restore good life and to improve on the living condition of our people”, he pledged.
Earlier speaking, the Minister stated that he and his entourage went round and saw some of the laudable development projects being undertaken by Inuwa-led administration, particularly, the Gombe regional water supply expansion project which is a joint project between his ministry and Gombe State Government, with the state government being responsible for about 70% of the project. “I have seen the level of completion of the project and the quality of work, I must therefore commend the contractor for doing a great job”, he explained.
The Hon Minister applauded the uncommon commitment of Governor Inuwa in partnering with his ministry in the execution of projects that have direct bearing on the people. He said “We are in partnership with Gombe State Government in a number of projects; the the PEWASH, SURWASH, Regional water supply expansion and many more. In fact, Gombe is the only state in this country that keyed into all the projects we are executing in this country”.
The Minister was in Gombe as part of his familiarisation tour to various river basin development authorities across the country to ensure maximizing potentials of the river basins in promoting food security in the country.
“Incidentally, Upper Benue River Basin happens to be one of the grade ‘A’ river basins in the country with enormous potentials. If the potential are adequately utilised, we can cultivate enough food, create wealth, generate employment, reduce hunger and provide adequate security; because hunger is the no. 1 factor that pushes people to insecurity” he noted.
He however, appealed to the governor to support the federal government’s target of boosting crop production by increasing available cultivable lands along the river basins. “I called on the state government to leverage the opportunities availed by the partial privatisation of the river basins to maximize their usage through Private partnership and other collaborative means for the economic growth and development of their state and the nation entirely” he urged.
