..Council Approves Installation of Solar Street Light at Tumfure, Nafada Communities
…’Kantoma Market in Billiri to be Upgraded to Storey Structure’
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, on Tuesday, presided over the 6th meeting of the Gombe State Joint Development Project Council, during which far-reaching decisions were made to improve infrastructure across communities in the state.
Speaking at a press briefing session which was chaired by the Commissioner for Local Government, Abdulkadir Mohammed Waziri, shortly after the meeting, the Director-General of the Joint Project Development Agency, Bldr. Mahmood Yusuf, disclosed some of the key resolutions approved by the council.
He said approval has been granted for the installation of solar-powered streetlights across the newly constructed roads in Tumfure, Akko local government at a construct sum of 1.1 Billion Naira, as well as some communities in Nafada Local Government Area which include Birin Fulani, Birin Bolawa, Barwo Winde, Barwo Nasarawo, Jigawan Nafada and Gudukku at a contract sum of 681 Million Naira
On the upgrade of the Kantoma Market in Billiri into a one storey building, Dr. Yusuf disclosed that the project had earlier been awarded during the council’s 4th meeting at a contract sum of 420 million Naira, after which the Billiri LGA Chairperson wrote to request for its upgrade into a storey building to boost local commerce and enhance revenue generation, and a sum of 213 million has been approved for the conversion.
The Director-General further disclosed that additional works have been approved at the the newly established NALDA market in Kwadon, Yamaltu/Deba local government, including the upgrade of the water scheme, provision of perimeter fence around the water tank especially the control area, and construction of 4 fetching points to allow for adequate utilization of the project, awarded at a contract sum of 19 million Naira.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Kwami Local Government, Ass. Prof. Ahmed Wali Doho, who also heads a sub-committee overseeing a verification exercise for local government workers across the state, briefed the press on critical findings from the ongoing screening.
According to him, the interim report submitted on the verification exercise, which ran from 12th June to 3rd July 2025 and focused initially on staff of the Local Education Authority (LEA), revealed the large-scale payroll fraud so far uncovered, saying “A total of 686 individuals failed to show up to prove they are legitimate workers. They were still drawing salaries, which amounted to N31 million.”
He added that another finding indicates that in the April payroll, 265 workers – some deceased, others retired – were still receiving monthly pay and the amount realized under this was N36 million.
He further stated that the committee has found that 258 staff members, who were supposedly on loan to other government agencies or departments, were collecting double salaries, a practice that contravenes civil service regulations, “This alone has cost the state N67 million”, Doho stated.
He emphasized that as the exercise continues, the goal is not to witch-hunt anyone but to ensure payroll integrity, block financial leakages and create room for fresh recruitment, particularly in critical sectors across the local government areas.
