From: Segun Babatunde in Gombe
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has approved the immediate distribution of food items to individuals, groups and associations across the 114 wards of the state as part of Ramadan relief package.
Items to be distributed include 25,000 bags of sugar, 15,000 bags of rice, 15,000 gallons of cooking oil as well as 15,000 cartons each of Spaghetti pasta and Tomato paste respectively.
This humanitarian gesture by Governor Inuwa is aimed at providing succour, especially to the less privileged persons in the society in the holy month of Ramadan.
To ensure smooth distribution exercise across the 11 LGA’s, the Governor has approved a template to be implemented by Local Government Councils Chairmen in their respective areas with Hon. Members of the State House of Assembly, Commissioners and Party Chairmen as members with SSA’s ( Community Relations) as Secretaries.
Meanwhile, the Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has restated his government’s commitment to provide social amenities and services to the people of Gombe State without discrimination.
The Governor stated this at the flagging-off ceremony of economic empowerment programme for the people with disability, held at Amina Mohammed Skills Acquisition Centre, Bypass, Gombe yesterday.
The empowerment programme, conducted in collaboration with Qatar Charity Organisation, QCO targets at providing succor to vulnerable groups of the society, focusing on especially persons with special needs.
The Governor said the activities of the organisation are in line with the vision of his administration on human capital development which emphasises education, health and job creation.
Governor Inuwa commended the partnership between Gombe State and the Qatar foundation, assuring that his administration will continue to collaborate with the organisation in areas of needs and interest to the people of the state.
He said his government has launched many initiatives for jobs and skills acquisition targeting mostly youths, women and other vulnerable groups.
“The vision of this Government is to empower not less than 10,000 individuals this year insha Allah, and to achieve this, many programmes capable of improving human capital in the state were launched”.
The Governor cited creation of database for teeming unemployed youth; ARC-P programme, where 1,000 persons were trained on various trades and skills; engagement of more than 3000 Development Facilitators; Gombe State Security Traffic and Environmental Corps targeting 2000 youths ; recent distribution of 1,000 Tricycles among others as justification for his administration’s commitment towards human capital development.
As a results of these initiatives, the governor said, “most youths are now having something doing which means more engagement in productive processes, less crimes, less political thuggery and other social vices”.
“Gombe State is the most peaceful state in the Northeast and it is also ranked as number 1 in the ease of doing business in Nigeria” he added.
The Governor said his government will continue to collaborate with development partners towards provision of social services to the people, especially the vulnerable groups.
“We will continue to pay attention to the plight of persons with disability, they are people like any one else. We will never betray the confidence they have in us and their welfare will continue to be our priority.
“We will continue to look for any opportunity, in a form of partnership, collaboration or cooperation with any development partner; institution or organisation ready to complement our efforts in improving the lives of the people”, he added.
Recounting the benefits Gombe State derived from its partnership with Qatar Charity Organisation, Governor Inuwa said, “In this year alone, Qatar Charity Organisation has executed more than 420 projects across the 11 Local Government areas of Gombe State”.
The Governor appreciated the charity organization for the developmental projects and social services they are rendering to the people, pledging to support them to ensure success of their activities.
Among the projects undertaken by QCO is the ongoing drilling of boreholes in over 140 locations across the state, construction of nearly 50 places of worship, over 1,000 eye surgeries, distribution of over 3,000 eye glasses, other medical services to not less than 5,000 people
In his remarks, the Country Director, Qatar Charity Organisation, Sheikh Hamdi Elsayed said, Governor Inuwa has given them all the needed support for the organisation to conduct its activities.
Sheikh Hamdi also disclosed that since the MoU was signed between Gombe State Government and his organization, “QCO has executed about 476 projects in the state so far and there is a plan to execute more”.
Earliers in his welcome address, the Chairman, local organising committee of the programme, Alh. Babangida Danja Kumo commended Governor Inuwa for entering into partnership with Qatar Charity Organization and for providing good atmosphere for the Organisation to run its activities smoothly.
In his responses on behalf of the beneficiaries, the State Chairman of the Persons with Disability (PWDs), Dr Ishiyaku Adamu thanked Governor Inuwa Yahaya for paying attention to the persons with special needs and carrying them along in the scheme of things and urged his members to support the policies and programmes of Inuwa-led administration.
“You are the first Governor in the history of Gombe State to stand for good two hours under scorching sun to receive the community of persons with disability.
“We can also remember during covid 19 pandemic, you gave special treatment to our members, Your Excellency, we say thank you”, he added.
The items distributed during the programme include: 100 sewing machines to women, 30 grinding machines to women, 9 Tricycles to youths, 63 disabled chairs, 200 blind sticks and provision of learning package to 48 pupils.
After the flagging-off ceremony, Governor Inuwa laid the foundation for the construction of Mega Centre that consists of an orphanage, a school, clinic, staff quarters, mosque and shops, the project that will be undertaken by Qatar Charity Organization in collaboration with Gombe State Government.