By Emeka Nwankpa (CEO/Editor-in-Chief)
Amid yet-unstoppable jubilation over Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s overwhelming victory at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which affirmed his winning 342,821 votes over 233,131 scored by his closest rival, Muhammad Jibrin Barde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) showing a huge margin of 74, 493 votes, Gombe got a new Cabinet yesterday that is set to seal a golden era under a man who while combining the fine details of culture, honour, enterprise and service to earn the exalted traditional title of Dan Magen Gombe, has also defiantly re-drawn Gombe State’s development map for good.
The governor has often declared as resolute and non-negotiable his commitment to bequeathing a better Gombe State that is both a national pride and a global brand. He said this much at his second oath-taking ceremony recently.
At a capacity crowd swearing-in ceremony which was held at the Executive Council chambers in the government house in the presence of huge supporters of the new appointees, Governor Yahaya who also doubles as Chairman, Northern Governors Forum (NGF), swore in the new Cabinet team with a firm charge to be dutiful, diligent, prudent, impact-driven, people first-oriented, corruption-free and God-fearing.
Governor Yahaya stressed that his administration would not tolerate laziness, buck-passing, lethargy, incompetence and graft, emphasizing they were appointing to add great value to his administration.
He added that his administration’s successful implementation of its development agenda remained intact and non-negotiable, noting that their appointments were based “on suitability in terms of credentials, experience, hard work, commitment, and loyalty as well as their performance at the promotion examinations and interviews,” he said.
Two out of the 17 commissioners are women in a cabinet where no fewer than five served in the governor’s first term (2015-2019).
They include: Barrister Zubairu Umar, Mohammed Magaji, Aishatu Maigari, Dr. Habu Dahiru and Nasiru Gwani.
There are also Barnabas Malle, Mai Kalam, Abdulkadir Waziri, Lt. Col. Abdullahi Bello, Asma’u Iganus and Sanusi Maidala.
Others include Adamu Pantami, Mohammed Gadam, Mohammed Fawu, Mijinyawa tilde, Dr. Abdullahi Garkuwa and the former Executive Chairman, Board of Internal Revenue Service, Salihu Alkali.
Gov. Yahaya said, “I would like to remind you that your appointments go along with important responsibilities. You are entrusted with the task of serving the people of Gombe State with integrity, transparency, and accountability. The decisions you make will have a direct impact on the lives of our citizens, and I have every confidence that you will approach your roles with a great sense of duty and the highest ethical standards.
“Let me also remind you that our administration has zero tolerance for corruption and incompetence. As members of the Executive Council and as leaders in the civil service, you are expected to be diligent in your duties and prudent in the management of the scarce resources to be placed at your disposal. You must be ready to put the collective interest of Gombe State at the forefront of every decision you make. As a servant of the people, your objective should always be about the progress of our dear state and the welfare of its people.”
Another highpoint of the major event was the swearing-in of a new Head of Service, Ahmed Abdullahi who was specialised tasked to raise, mobilise and galvanize his team to align with the pace and speed of the governor in his set goals and objectives especially the Development Agenda for Gombe State (DEVAGOM) encapsulated in the Gombe State Development Plan 2021-2030.
The twelve new permanent secretaries are Mohammed Jalo and Adamu Kala (Akko Local Government Area), Dr. Ibrahim Yakubu (Balanga LGA), Sa’adatu Ishaya (Billiri LGA), Abubakar Adamu (Dukku); Abdulkadir Adamu, Abubakar Hassan and Ahmed Yunusa (Gombe LGA).
Others are Mohammed Ndus (Kaltungo), Abubakar Mallam (Kwami), Shuaibu Ibrahim (Shongom) and Mohammed Hina (Yamaltu Deba).
Our government house correspondent also recalls that shortly after he was sworn for second term, Gov. Yahaya took a quick step to show his direction as well as consolidate his giant strides by approving the immediate reappointment of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, a former Vice Chancellor of University of Maiduguri, and the Director General, Press Affairs in the Government House, Alhaji Ismaila Uba Missing respectively. Both of them are seen as key and vital to the governor’s success story in the first term. The governor was widely commended for recognizing their value as basis for their hailed reappointment more so that they are believed to have demonstrated uncommon zeal apart from their fierce loyalty to the Gov. Inuwa Yahaya-led government.
