The Gombe State Government has unveiled its 2021 to 2030 10-year Development Plan, aimed at harnessing the potentials of the state, by taking advantage of emerging opportunities and tackling challenges and threats.
Speaking during the official unveiling of the plan in Gombe, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, said the road map for the transformation of Gombe State was aligned with Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations SDGs.
According to Governor Yahaya, the Gombe State Development Plan, which was referred to as Development Agenda for Gombe State, DEVAGOM, was the road map for the transformation of Gombe State and a product of wide consultations from all stakeholders in the state.
He said DEVAGOM was an agenda of the people, by the people and for the people and giving the state the opportunity to define its vision through the eyes of its people.
Collaboration
Governor Yahaya said his administration was making relentless efforts to stimulate and sustain economic growth and human development, to ensure that steps taken were technically desirable and consistent with the goals, saying, it is necessary to have a robust plan for building durable institutions, mobilizing resources and capabilities, as well as managing risks and shocks from unforeseen domestic and global events.
He said DEVAGM, was a product of synergy and collaboration with local and international development partners.
The Gombe State Governor said his administration had put in place the necessary structures and institutional reforms that would drive its effective implementation, in order to ensure the success of DEVAGOM.
“These efforts will soon be complemented by a legislative bill to further strengthen DEVAGOMs institutional legitimacy and guarantee its long-term success and sustainability,” Governor Yahaya said.
He said the implementation of the plan would require a lot of domestic mobilisation because the government had inserted policies and strategies in the plan to enhance efficiency, build transparency and entrench accountability in all levels of government.
Various development partners and federal government officials congratulated Governor Yahaya for what they referred to as a laudable development for the state, but called for concerted efforts to ensure its implementation.
For one, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Hajia Amina Mohammed, who equally called for the implementation of the plan to be a top priority, said DEVAGOM was in consonance with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.
She encouraged the domestic resource mobilisation, which she believes would attract everyone from all angles to contribute to the realisation of the goals of the development plan.
Hajia Amina also called on the government to invest in the development of Gombe into a future city, because predictions were in cities.
Inclusion of women
While urging the people to support the government towards actualising the plan, Hajia Amina equally urged the state government to ensure the inclusion of women and youth in the implementation, and to also close the gap in the digital divide, so that everyone should understand the digital world because it is the future.
“That is why this plan is important for us to invest in the city, Gombe, in all the local government headquarters that they also become cities. So, that the people of Nigeria would want to come to Gombe, or Lagos, or Abuja or the places they are going to. They want to come here. We can do it, we can be as good as it is i Nigeria and beyond. So, let us invest in the cities of tomorrow,” Hajia Amina said.
For the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Patami, the implementation of the Gombe 10 year Plan is the main challenge that must be tackled.
He called on all stakeholders to collaborate, go beyond the development of the plan and ensure its successful implementation.
According to Dr. Pantami, his ministry was ready to collaborate with the state government to ensure 100% implementation of the ICT component of the plan.
“The State Government that the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy wants to join hands with the state government to ensure hundred percent implementation of the ICT Plan in Gombe State.
He said he hoped that the Governor would direct the relevant officers to meet with them immediately after the event to start its implementation immediately.
Lateefah Ibrahim
