The Gombe State Government has approved over N50 billion for a 21-kilometre gully erosion control project under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) initiative.
The Director-General of Press Affairs, Government House, Gombe, Ismaila Misilli, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.
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Mr Misilli said the project, awarded to TRIACTA Limited, will cover critical erosion-prone areas, including the back of the Commissioner of Police’s residence, Pantami, Kwarin-Hayin Kwarin Misau, and GGSS Doma.
Compensation for affected residents
The state Commissioner for Environment, Water, and Forest Resources, Mohammed Fawu, said an additional N2.1 billion had been set aside to compensate individuals whose properties or livelihoods may be impacted by the project.
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Mr Fawu noted that the project was necessary to address the increasing risk of land degradation.
“This project is a proactive step to mitigate the increasing threat of land degradation while safeguarding infrastructure and communities at risk,” he said.
In another development, the government approved the conversion of Government Secondary School (GSS), Malam Sidi, into the Faculty of Agriculture of the Gombe State University (GSU).
The Commissioner for Higher Education, Muhammad Gadam, said N1.1 billion had been approved as take-off funds for the new faculty, which is expected to commence academic activities next year.
According to a statement, four departments, offering 10 courses, have been approved. These include the Department of Agriculture and Animal Science, the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, and the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Management.
Road repairs and infrastructure rehabilitation
The State Executive Council approved N891 million to rehabilitate the Akko (Amada) to Bula-Gari, Abuja-Bula, and Kwami-Gari road.
The Commissioner for Works, Housing, and Transport, Usman Kallamu, who disclosed this information, said the projects aim to improve connectivity and ease transportation challenges for residents.
In another development, the state government secured a 70 per cent waiver on a legacy loan from the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), saving the state over N1.3 billion.
ALSO READ: Finances of Gombe State Government: Setting the records straight
The Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Muhammad Magaji, explained that the original N2.7 billion loan, inherited from a previous administration, was reduced to N1.4 billion through Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s strategic negotiations.
Mr Magaji said the waiver demonstrated the governor’s commitment to boosting the state’s finances.
He said the state also resolved a decade-long legal dispute with Zenith Bank over a failed contract to supply dictionaries. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Zubair Umar, said the out-of-court settlement saved the state further legal costs.
Background on the Zenith Bank dispute
The legal dispute between Gombe State and Zenith Bank originated from a 2011 contract awarded to Real Integrated & Hospitality Limited for the supply of dictionaries valued at over N1 billion. Zenith Bank had issued an Advance Payment Guarantee (APG) for the contractor, who later defaulted on the agreement.
Gombe State demanded a refund of N872 million from the bank, leading to a protracted legal battle.
In March 2022, the Lagos State High Court ruled against Zenith Bank, ordering it to pay the amount with interest. However, the bank appealed, and in November 2022, the Court of Appeal overturned the ruling, finding the bank not liable for the contractor’s breach.
Gombe State agreed to an out-of-court settlement under the governor’s directive to avoid further legal costs and end the decade-long dispute.
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