Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State on Tuesday hosted his Yobe State counterpart, Mai Mala Buni, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political and Other Matters, Ibrahim Kabir Masari, for the commissioning of major projects and groundbreaking ceremonies for newly created Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
The event featured the inauguration of key infrastructure in Nafada and Funakaye Local Government Areas, as well as reciprocal engagements in Ngalda, Yobe State.
Among the projects commissioned by Buni were the new Nafada Local Government Secretariat, the Nafada 4-Span Bridge and the Mega Non-Formal Learning Centre (Tsangaya School).
The new secretariat replaces a dilapidated structure previously used by council staff, while the 4-span bridge addresses longstanding seasonal access challenges that rendered the route impassable during the rainy season.
The Mega Non-Formal Learning Centre is designed to integrate Almajiri children into a structured learning environment.
Masari commissioned the 7.5km Kwanan Rugaji–Almakashi road with a spur to Gargaldu, linking Funakaye in Gombe with communities in Yobe. The road is expected to ease transportation challenges and stimulate economic activities in the area.
He also inaugurated a 66-shop ultra-modern commercial complex in Bajoga named after the late Emir Muhammadu Kwairanga to boost local commerce.
At separate foundation-laying ceremonies for Funakaye South LCDA in Tongo and Nafada South LCDA in Birin Fulani, Yahaya said the projects followed the creation of 13 LCDAs aimed at deepening grassroots governance.
“These LCDAs are designed to institutionalise meaningful development and bring governance closer to our people,” he said, adding that they would eventually metamorphose into full-fledged local governments.
The governor disclosed that future local council elections would be conducted simultaneously with the LCDAs to strengthen their democratic foundation.
He said the state drew inspiration from reforms introduced in Lagos State under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his tenure as governor.
Buni, in his remarks, commended Yahaya for what he described as bold and strategic initiatives to strengthen local governance and accelerate development.
He stressed the need for unity and collaboration among Northern governors to address shared challenges, particularly in security and socio-economic development.
Masari lauded the Gombe Government for aligning its development agenda with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, describing the projects as reflective of prudent resource management.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Gombe State Joint Project Development Agency, Mahmood Yusuf, said the projects were being jointly executed by the state and local governments with emphasis on quality delivery.
During visits to Funakaye and Nafada Emirates, the governors paid homage to the traditional rulers.
The Emir of Funakaye, Alhaji Yakubu Muhammad Kwairanga, conferred the title of “Dikuman Funakaye” on Buni and “Dan Saran Funakaye” on Masari.
Similarly, the Emir of Nafada, Alhaji Muhammadu Dadum Hamza, bestowed the titles of “Muqaddas” and “Dan Sarari” of Nafada on Buni and Masari respectively.
In a related development on Feb. 18 in Ngalda, Yobe State, Yahaya commissioned an ultra-modern market named after him by Buni.
He described the facility as a major commercial hub that would strengthen cross-border trade between communities in Yobe and Gombe, particularly Nafada and Funakaye.
Yahaya also renewed his appeal for Federal Government intervention on the Gombe–Potiskum road, describing it as a critical economic corridor linking Gombe, Yobe and Borno states.
He, however, commended President Tinubu for supporting states in the North-East to execute people-oriented projects.
The Gombe governor announced a donation of N10 million to support relocation of traders to the new Ngalda market.
