The partnership between the Gombe State Government and JAPAN-UNESCO aimed at strengthening peacebuilding and resilience in the North-East of Nigeria through education, economic empowerment, and social change has yielded positive results.
At the closing ceremony of the project held at Flourish Hotel, Gombe, vulnerable communities were empowered with starter packs for self-employment.
During the ceremony, the Gombe State Government reiterated its commitment to enhancing collaboration with development partners to improve the standard of living of state residents.
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya assured that his administration had prioritized education and other sectors upon assuming office, despite facing significant challenges.
Governor Yahaya highlighted the administration’s efforts in turning around the situation by increasing budgetary allocations, recruiting teachers, and reintegrating approximately four hundred thousand children back into school.
This commitment demonstrates the government’s resilience and dedication to uplifting the welfare of its citizens.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau, the Governor said, “Concerned residents in the state will attest to the unfortunate and uncomfortable state of the educational sector, health, agriculture and indeed many sectors of the economy.”
According to him, “This informed the administration to take drastic measures to reverse the situation. Consequently, a state of emergency was declared on Education because of its indisputable importance”.
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“Concerted efforts were put in place by increasing budgetary allocation to the education sector; mopping about 400,000 Out-of-school children; recruitment of 1000 qualified teachers; some of our key performance indicators are in the areas of provision of critical learning facilities and equipment as well as massive investment in the construction and renovation of school’s infrastructures,” he added.
Inuwa Yahaya also said, ” In our pursuit to alleviate the sufferings of our populace more especially the parents, this administration since its assumption in office in May 2019 has been paying for SSCE examinations.”
He also said, “Recently, we approved the payment of N549.4 Million to external examination bodies: WAEC, NABTEB, NBAIS, and others for the participation of indigene students of the state in the forthcoming examinations.”
“These efforts have justified the increase in enrolment number of students, and improvement in the percentage of candidates with five credits including Mathematics and English for WAEC from 22.5% in 2019 to 67.5% in 2023,” the Governor added.
He further said, “Let me at this juncture, congratulate 1000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and vulnerable families in the host communities, particularly young women and girls within for collecting the starting tool items to make good use of them, lessons and vocational skills learned within the shortest period of their engagement, so that they can be catalyst of change within and outside the shores of our dear state.”
The beneficiaries were trained in tailoring, catering, barbing and shoe making; others are animal husbandry and poultry production among others.
The beneficiaries who were drawn from Gombe, Akko, Yamaltu Deba, Shongom, Kaltungo and Funakaye Local Government Areas were all given starter packs after intensive training on their chosen skills for months.
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