THE Africa Development Bank ( AfDB) has assured of assured Gombe State Government of its strong commitment to support the State’s development drive especially as it affects the Special Agro Processing Zone ( SAPZ) and the Inclusive Service Delivery and Livelihood Empowerment Integrated Project ( ISDLEIP).
The Director General of the AfDB, Nigeria Country Department, Mr Lamin Barrow made this commitment when he received Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya at the AfDB office in Abuja.
Mr. Barrow restated AfDB’s resolve to support Governor Inuwa’s drive to improve the quality of life of the people of Gombe State by increasing access of the poor and vulnerable segments of the populations to basic social services in water, sanitation, hygiene, health and education, as well as restoring livelihoods and strengthening food security and safety nets of the citizens in line with the IBSDLEIP objectives.
On Special Agro Processing Zone, Mr. Barrow observed that Gombe State has the potential of transforming the agriculture sector into a viable business enterprise that will not only satisfy local needs but international market as well.
He therefore assured of AfDB’s commitment to supporting Gombe’s endeavour to promote increased productivity, value addition, market access and private sector investment in agricultural value chain commodities like soybeans, maize, cotton, and sesame seeds among others.
“Our focus on the SAPZ is on the promotion of commodities that have a high potential to boost export revenues or import substitution. The programme is designed to enhance complementarity with existing or completed projects financed by the AfDB including those in the power, transport, water and agriculture sectors”.
He said with its three dams, strategic location, peaceful environment and visionary leadership of the Governor, Gombe State is destined for greatness.
The Director General of AfDB in Nigeria paid tribute to Governor Inuwa Yahaya for investing in critical sectors that will eventually bring great economic fortunes for Gombe State and its people, pledging strong support for him.
He described the Governor as a development- centric leader with passion and visionary disposition to transform his state.
Speaking earlier, Governor Inuwa Yahaya stressed the importance of collaboration between his government and institutions like AfDB in his administration’s drive to transforming agriculture into a viable enterprise for local and international markets.
He told the AfDB executive that Gombe is home to Balanga, Dadinkowa, and Cham Dams. But lamented that Balanga Dam faces underutilization due to a lack of investment.
He also highlighted the state’s vast arable land and its potential to be a foreign earner with proper harnessing.
Governor Inuwa said his administration put up a 1000-hectare Industrial Park Buhari Industrial Park with 400 hectares already developed with necessary infrastructure, signaling a move towards creating a sustainable economic landscape.
Despite challenges, the governor expressed determination to make the industrial park a hub, noting the progress with signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) for rice and tomato processing mills. He however mentioned the need to connect the hydro power plant to the substation for effective use.
“As at today, what remains is only for us to fix our sub station to the main transmission unit of the hydro power plant and during the last investment summit we held in October 2022, we were able to sign MoU with six companies two of them have already started a rice mill and a tomato processing mills.”
The Governor also took time to explain the content of the Gombe State Development Agenda known as DEVAGOM which he said is in line with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on infrastructure, environmental remediation, security, and education.
The Governor was accompanied by the Commissioners of Water, Environment and Forest Resources, Mohammed Saidu Fawu,; Finance and Economic Development, Muhammad Gambo Magaji; Trade, Industry and Tourism, Nasiru Mohammed Aliyu mni as well as Special Adviser on Development Partners Coordination, Dr. Ishiyaku Babayo; Gombe State IBSDLEIP Project Coordinator, Engr Abdulraqib Saidu and Basic Education Sector lead, Auwal Jibrin.