The Gombe State Government has announced key infrastructure initiatives and uncovered significant payroll irregularities during its 6th Joint Development Project Council Meeting, chaired by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
At a press briefing, Director-General of the Joint Project Development Agency, Mahmood Yusuf, outlined several new approvals targeted at community development and public infrastructure.
Major installation is that of solar-powered streetlights along the newly constructed roads in Tumfure, Akko Local Government Area, at a contract sum of ₦1.1 billion.
Similarly, the council also approved solar installations for several communities in Nafada LGA, namely Birin Fulani, Birin Bolawa, Barwo Winde, Barwo Nasarawo, Jigawan Nafada, and Gudukku, at a total cost of ₦681 million.
In Billiri Local Government, the Kantoma Market is set to undergo a major transformation, which was initially awarded as a ground-level structure during the 4th Council Meeting.
The market will now be upgraded to a one-storey building, based on a formal request by the LGA Chairperson, which attracted an additional ₦213 million approval for the upgrade, bringing the total project cost to ₦633 million.
Also, the council approved enhancements for the newly established market by the National Agricultural Land Development Authority, NALDA, in Kwadon, Yamaltu/Deba LGA.
The approval will see to the upgrade of the water supply scheme, installation of a perimeter fence around the water tank control area, and construction of four fetching points, awarded at ₦19 million.
The government is also making headway in sanitising its local government payroll system.
The Chairman of Kwami LGA, Associate Professor Ahmed Wali Doho, who heads a subcommittee overseeing the ongoing verification of LG staff, briefed the journalists on preliminary findings from a recently concluded screening exercise.
He said the verification was conducted from June 12 to July 3, 2025, and focused on Local Education Authority (LEA) staff.
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Prof. Doho said preliminary findings uncovered widespread payroll fraud, where 686 individuals failed to appear for verification but continued to receive salaries, amounting to ₦31 million.
He further disclosed that in the April 2025 payroll alone, 265 deceased or retired workers were still listed as active staff, drawing a total of ₦36 million.
The committee also discovered that 258 staff members seconded to other departments were receiving double salaries, resulting in an additional loss of ₦67 million.
Prof. Doho therefore clarified that the verification was aimed at ensuring transparency and financial discipline, not victimisation, stressing that the recovered funds would give room for fresh recruitment, especially in critical areas of need across the 11 local government areas.