Gombe state governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to bolstering President Bola Tinubu‘s Renewed Hope Agenda on Food Security and other federal government initiatives.
The governor, who stated this while receiving in audience, the minister of water resources and sanitation, Muhammad Bello Goronyo at the Government House, assured of Gombe state’s synergy with the federal government towards achieving self-sufficiency in food production by leveraging available water and land resources.
Governor Inuwa said the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu is compatible with his administration’s development policies as encapsulated in the ten-year development plan of the state (Devagom).
He said: “The renewed hope Agenda which seeks to provide or restore the food security of this country, and improve on it, taking it to a higher level, is something that we really align with.”
He urged the federal government to do more in supporting the state to harness its water potential.
The governor added: “We have our own dam, the Balanga Dam which has been lying fallow for so long. We are not saying you fund it, but give us the technical support to identify very reputable partners who are into business to improve productivity and provide food security.”
He appreciated the support of the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation in curbing the aged-long water scarcity, especially in the state capital and its environs through the Gombe regional water expansion project and other collaborative projects that help in reducing the water supply problem to the barest level.
He noted: “At this very crucial moment, where we are almost 90% or so, nearing completion of the Gombe regional water expansion project, it is not an easy task; a 160km of pipe network, 3 mega booster stations, borehole-based mini water schemes, and many other facilities needed for lifting and pumping, I think with these, we are good to go.”
Speaking earlier, the minister said he and his entourage went around and saw some of the laudable projects being undertaken by the state government in particular, the Gombe regional water supply expansion project which is a joint project between his ministry and Gombe State Government.
The minister applauded the commitment of Governor Inuwa in partnering with his ministry in the execution of projects that have a direct bearing on the people.
He stated: “We are in partnership with the Gombe State Government in a number of projects; the PEWASH, SURWASH, Regional water supply expansion, and many more. In fact, Gombe is the only state in this country that keyed into all the projects we are executing in this country.”
The minister was in Gombe as part of his familiarization tour to various river basin development authorities across the country to ensure the maximizing potential of the river basins in promoting food security in the country.
He stated: “Incidentally, the Upper Benue River Basin happens to be one of the grade ‘A’ river basins in the country with enormous potential. If the potential is adequately utilised, we can cultivate enough food, create wealth, generate employment, reduce hunger, and provide adequate security; because hunger is the no. 1 factor that pushes people to insecurity.”
He, however, appealed to the governor to support the federal government’s target of boosting crop production by increasing available cultivable lands along the river basins.
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