Gov. Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has said that sustainable peace and security in Nigeria depend on deliberate efforts toward industrialisation and economic empowerment.
Yahaya stated this on Tuesday in Gombe while receiving Team 5 of Senior Course 34 of the National Defence College (NDC), Abuja, who are on a study tour of the state.
The visit, with the theme “Optimising Natural Resources for Industrialisation, National Development and Security in Nigeria,” aims to assess how states can harness local resources for economic and security advancement.
The governor expressed satisfaction with the theme and the choice of Gombe for the study, saying the findings could help strengthen national development policies.
“The centrality of Gombe in the North-East subregion positions it as a gateway for inter-state connectivity. However, challenges such as poor road infrastructure continue to hamper social and economic integration,” Yahaya said.
He emphasised that socio-economic progress and industrial growth depend largely on the availability of good roads, stable electricity, and adequate water supply.
Yahaya called for stronger collaboration with the Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers and other professional bodies in executing strategic construction projects to drive economic growth.
Highlighting his administration’s infrastructure drive, the governor mentioned the Network Eleven Hundred Project, which aims to construct 100 kilometres of road in each of the 11 local government areas of the state.
He also cited the 1,000-hectare Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park in Dadin Kowa as a key driver of Gombe’s industrialisation efforts.
“So far, we have invested over N26 billion in the Industrial Park. We provided more than 25 kilometres of roads, over two million litres of water storage, and an independent power source for industries,” he said.
He added that the state signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a Chinese firm for the provision of 100 megawatts of solar power to enhance energy supply.
Yahaya said the Industrial Park was designed to promote agro-industrial value chains and reduce post-harvest losses, adding that some companies had already started operations in the facility.
On security, the governor said the state had maintained preventive measures to reduce farmer-herder conflicts through restrictions on grazing during harvest seasons.
He urged the NDC participants to be objective in their assessment, noting that their findings would aid both state and national policy formulation.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Brig.-Gen. Olumide Adeleke Ojo, described the National Defence College as Nigeria’s apex institution for strategic-level training and research in defence and security.
He commended Yahaya for his purpose-driven leadership and infrastructural development, describing the projects as critical enablers of industrial growth.
“We are impressed by what we have seen in Gombe. The projects demonstrate foresight, planning, and a strong commitment to human capital and industrial development,” Ojo said.
