Gombe okays N1.3bn for deputy gov’s office, N1.2bn fire service headquarters

The Gombe State Executive Council, at its 50th meeting on Monday, ratified the sum of ₦1.3bn for the construction of a new Deputy Governor’s Office complex and ₦1.2 bn for a modern fire service headquarters.

Disclosing this at the Gombe Arena shortly after the SEC meeting presided over by Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, the state Commissioner for Works and Transport, Usman Kallamu, said the new office would bring the Deputy Governor closer to the Government House.

He said, “As of now, the Deputy Governor’s Office is far away from the Government House. The council has approved N1,337,885,743.75 for the construction of a new Deputy Governor’s Office to be sited adjacent to the Government House, at the Old Gombe Jewel Suites.”

Kallamu also disclosed that the council approved ₦1.3bn for the completion of five mega colleges across the state.

To further enhance emergency response and disaster management in the state, the SEC also approved N1,275,236,520 for the construction of a modern, fully equipped Gombe State Fire Service Headquarters.

According to Kallamu, the new Fire Service Complex will provide a permanent and well-equipped facility for fire officers, who have been operating from temporary locations for years.

“The establishment of a befitting Fire Service Headquarters will enhance emergency response, safeguard lives and property, and boost overall urban safety,” he said.

Similarly, the council approved N461.8 million for the construction of a new Divisional Police Station in the Shehu Abubakar District.

The project, according to the commissioner, has been redesigned and upgraded with modern amenities as part of the administration’s urban planning model.

PUNCH Online reports that Gombe State has in recent years adopted a more participatory approach to budgeting, including the launch of citizens’ engagement forums and a shift towards programme-based budgeting.

In 2023,Gombo State’s budget  was originally approved at about ₦176.55 billion, with recurrent expenditures at ₦76.55 billion and capital expenditures at ₦99.46 billion.

The approved 2024 budget stood at approximately ₦208.064 billion, with 58 % allotted for capital projects and 42 % for recurrent costs—marking a shift in emphasis toward infrastructure and consolidation.
Source: Punch