By Ismaila Uba Misilli
The spectacle was indeed spectacular! It is no longer news that 1,000 Tricycles, popularly known as Keke-NAPEP were distributed to youths in Gombe irrespective of political, religious, or tribal affiliations. That is one of the enviable emblems of the all-inclusive administrative style of Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the Governor of Gombe State.
That is not all. A week later Governor Inuwa Yahaya approved the recruitment of 1000 fresh teachers by the Gombe State Teachers’ Service Commission, TSC as part of efforts toward consolidating the objectives and gains of his declaration of a ‘state of emergency on education and boosting the human capital development in Gombe State.
Not done yet, the Governor also looked toward the physically challenged and disabled citizens and empowered them.
For the teachers, Governor Inuwa Yahaya also approved the transfer of 288 staff of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) who had applied for transfer of service from the board for placement into the State Ministry of Education’s secondary schools and technical colleges.
This development is one of the steps the Governor has taken to turn around the fortunes of education in the state. He had earlier in January this year, consented to kick-start the teachers’ recruitment process at the TSC. I will come back to this story and others. But first the empowerment of the youth.
Back to the ‘Keke Inuwa” story which many people watched with a huge admiration recently as 1,000 youths were empowered with Keke-NAPEP to boost the already revamped transport sector of Gombe State. The empowerment is part of Inuwa Yahaya’s grand industrial policy to catalyze all the sectors that will aid agriculture and commerce in the State, besides caring for the youths of Gombe. And part of the big picture envisioned by Gombe State’s 10-year Development Plan.
The 1,000 Tricycles To Keke-NAPEP Riders is an unprecedented gesture in the history of Gombe State. It is a demonstration of the APC government’s commitment to improving living conditions and providing opportunities for all citizens in Gombe.
The beneficiaries of the empowerment program were nominated from the 11 local government areas of the state through their umbrella association, Keke-NAPEP Riders Association of Nigeria (Gombe State Chapter) regardless of their political affiliation, religion, or tribe.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya said of the gesture: “This further affirms our determination to support every citizen of the state without bias.
“By this discounted revolving rider-owner arrangement, it is envisaged that these beneficiaries will earn a living for themselves and their families through this partnership and subsequently give a window for another batch of beneficiaries to be selected in due course,”.
He expressed the hope that the distribution of 1,000 tricycles would ease transportation challenges and help reduce accidents and security threats associated with motorcycles popularly known as “achaba”, especially within the Gombe metropolis.
The Governor believes that economic development and progress do not just happen without realistic vision, careful choices as well as the resolute commitment of leaders and followers to doing the right thing.
His administration had created a conducive environment for private businesses to thrive which had led to the state’s rating as the number one in the ease of doing business in the country.
Under Governor Inuwa, Gombe State had been recognised as the most peaceful, secure and socially cohesive state in the country.
He has created an environment where all citizens and residents could pursue their livelihoods and realize their God-given potential without fear of harassment, discrimination, or violence.
Governor Inuwa is always proud of the fact that he runs a cohesive administration where all are treated as equal stakeholders.
“What gladdens my heart and of course, every well-meaning citizen of the state is the consensus reached by the people, regardless of political affiliation, that we have delivered on the vast majority of the promises we made in 2019 and have done a lot more! The evidence is clear for anyone to see”, he said.
He is a man that appreciates people and commitments.
At any opportunity, he thanks the entire people of the state for their individual and collective support, assuring that his administration would continue to work harder to provide good governance and bring economic prosperity to the citizenry.
During the Keke-NAPEP distribution ceremony, the Chairman, of Gombe State’s branch of the Tricycles Riders Association of Nigeria, Mohammed Abdullahi Sarki, said the gesture by Governor Inuwa marked a turning point in the history of the association.
“This is the mother of all empowerment programs since the creation of Gombe State more than 25 years ago. This will go a long way in the annal of history and we, as an association, shall continue to cherish this gesture for a long time to come,” he stated.
In his characteristics display of compassion, Governor Inuwa Yahaya also looked in the direction of People With Disabilities (PWDs) and other vulnerable in the state and put smiles on their faces and brought relief to their lives.
This was the response Inuwa got from them “You are the first Governor in the history of Gombe State to stand for good two hours under the scorching sun to receive the community of persons with disability.
“We can also remember during covid 19 pandemic, you gave special treatment to our members, Your Excellency, we say thank you”.
Governor Inuwa has launched many initiatives for jobs and skills acquisition targeting mostly youths, women, and other vulnerable groups with the vision to empower not less than 10,000 individuals this year alone.
To accomplish the vision, many programs capable of improving human capital in the state were launched, a database for teeming unemployed youths was created;1,000 persons were already trained in various trades and skills through ARC-PA; more than 3000 Development Facilitators were employed, and Gombe State Security Traffic and Environmental Corps targeting 2,000 youths has already kicked off; which is a justification for this administration’s commitment towards human capital development.
As a result of these initiatives, most youths are now having something doing which means more engagement in productive processes, fewer crimes, less political thuggery, and other social vices.
Gombe no doubt is progressing geometrically and astronomically with Dan Maje on the saddle.
Misilli is Director-General ( Press Affairs) Government House, Gombe
