By Aliyu Bala Gerengi, Gombe
The Gombe State Government has approved over N10 billion for the payment of outstanding gratuities owed to retired civil servants at the state and local government levels.
The approval was reached at the 56th meeting of the Gombe State Executive Council, presided over by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
The decisions were disclosed during a post-EXCO briefing in Gombe, where commissioners whose ministries’ memoranda were considered briefed journalists on the council’s resolutions.
The Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Muhammad Gambo Magaji, said the council approved N2.18 billion and N4.06 billion to settle outstanding gratuities for state retirees covering 2024 and 2025 respectively.
He said the latest approval brings the total gratuities paid by the Inuwa Yahaya administration from 2019 to over N36.5 billion, adding that all outstanding state-level gratuity liabilities have now been cleared.
At the local government level, the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Barrister Sani Ahmad Haruna, said the council approved N4.08 billion to settle outstanding gratuities owed to retirees across the state’s 11 local government areas.
The council also approved N6.1 billion as Gombe State’s 50 per cent counterpart contribution to the 2026 Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, matching fund.
The Commissioner for Education, Professor Aishatu Umar Maigari, said the funding will enable the state to benefit from the HOPE-EDU programme, with interventions targeting improved learning outcomes, reduction of the number of out-of-school children and teacher recruitment.
The council further approved several road projects, including N1.6 billion variation for the Gadam-Yame-Yari road project and N2.04 billion for the 4.3-kilometre Kembu-Kidda-Panda road spur under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, RAMP.
The Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Muhammad Saidu Fawu, said the council approved N2.1 billion for the expansion of Nayi-Nawa School at Buhari Estate.
He also announced the approval for the installation of 1,085 solar streetlights across different parts of Gombe metropolis, including Nasarawo, Yelenguruza, Commercial Area, Bolari, the city centre behind the CBN and along Dass Road.
The council also approved N423 million variation for the ongoing upgrade of the International Airport at Lawanti and approved the construction of a recreational centre at Shehu Abubakar District to replace the old Gombe Club.
In the industrial sector, the council approved N3.3 billion for road construction, infrastructure maintenance, gully erosion control and construction of a gatehouse at the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park.
The Commissioner for Health, Professor Adamu Danladi Bojude, said the council approved the handover of the Kaltungo Snake Bite Treatment and Research Hospital to the Federal Government for conversion into the newly approved National Snake Bite and Medical Centre.
The council also approved a statewide free surgical and medical outreach targeting less-privileged residents across communities in the state’s 11 local government areas.
On security, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Honourable Adamu Dishi Kupto, said Gombe is among the states to benefit from the Federal Government’s approval for new military formations.
He said the state will host the 27 Armoured Brigade and its Garrison, as well as the 271 Tank Battalion in Bajoga and 272 Tank Battalion in Kaltungo.
According to him, the new formations are expected to strengthen security in Gombe State and enhance military operations across the sub-region.
He added that Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has approved temporary sites and provided necessary logistical support for the immediate take-off of the formations.
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