Amid hardship, Gombe approves N43bn for gov’s residence, court, assembly complex

The Gombe State Executive Council has approved N43.130 billion for the construction of an ultra-modern governor’s residence and high court and House of Assembly complexes.

The decision was made during the council’s 37th meeting presided over by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.

Our correspondent reports that since 2003 when former Governor Abubakar Habu Hashidu vacated the residence after his defeat all subsequent governors: Danjuma Goje and Ibrahim Dankwambo, did not stay in the official governor’s residence located at the Government House despite several renovations.

Governor Yahaya is also staying in his private residence located at the New GRA.

Briefing journalists shortly after the meeting, the Commissioner for Information, Mijinyawa Ardo Tilde, said the council approved the N43.130bn for an ultra-modern governor’s residence and high court and House of Assembly complexes.

He added that the council also approved N10bn for the construction of roads in four local government areas of the state and the construction of the Gombe State Security, Traffic and Environmental Corps (GOSTEC) office.

Shedding more light on the projects, the Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, Dr Usman Maijama’a Kallamu, said the ultra-modern high court complex would be constructed at N14bn, while N14.23bn and N14.9bn would be spent to build the House of Assembly complex and the ultra-modern governor’s residence respectively.

The commissioner added that the council also approved N10.4bn for the construction of 77 kilometres of roads in Kwami, Funakaye, Nafada and Yamaltu/Deba local government areas.

Daily Trust reports that the projects were approved amid the current economic hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy when workers under the local government service in the state are yet to start receiving the new minimum wage being enjoyed by the state civil servants from 2020.

However, following the removal of the subsidy, Governor Yahaya introduced N10,000 as palliatives for both the state and local government employees, but pensioners were left out, with many of them lamenting that they only received N7,000 as their monthly pension.

After an outcry, Governor Yahaya on Tuesday launched the distribution of foodstuffs to the underprivileged and physically challenged residents of the state.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Aishatu Umar Maigari, said the council approved N549m for the payment of registration fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB) and the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (MBAIS) for 19,840 indigent students.