In a bid to strengthen the resilience of farmers through improved agricultural production and linkages to markets the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has declared that it was in the process of developing a programme with the value of the sum of 100 million US Dollars, targeting Gombe and other states in North-East region.
This is just as it also revealed that it has awarded grant amounting to the sum of 13 million US Dollars to strengthen teaching capacity and teacher quality, with Gombe State University (GOSU), Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe as well as the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) which are all implementing institutions of the programme.
These were disclosed by the Director of Mission, USAID Nigeria, Mr. Stephen Haykins during at a meeting with Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya as contained in a press release signed and issued to journalists in Gombe by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Governor, Ismaila Uba Misilli.
The statement stated that during the meeting, the Governor highlighted the focus of his administration and the funding challenges the government is confronted with, due to huge debt profile inherited from the immediate past administration, as well as low internally generated revenue (IGR) base of the state.
Ismaila Uba Misili added that the meeting was “part of the Governor’s series of engagements with development partners and donor agencies to seek new and more robust partnerships to strengthen the resource base of the state.”
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He further stated that: “Since assumption of office, Governor Yahaya has continued to show determination to increase cooperation and commitment to multilateral, national and international organisations as well as exploring ways and means for better coordination of donor partnerships and improving prudence and accountability in managing resources”.
He, however, said that the administration is reform-minded with a clear mission and vision to take Gombe State to the next level despite the obvious challenges it is presently facing.
“He underscored the imperative of working with international development bodies such as USAID in order to close developmental gaps and support the state government to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the citizenry for a better quality of life,” the statement further said.
According to the statement, while urging USAID to expand its programme portfolio in Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya also enlisted the support of the the agency in strengthening the capacity of the Legislature and Judiciary in the state for effective discharge of their constitutional mandates, as well as support in improving business environment and attracting private sector investment into areas such as agriculture, solid minerals, commerce and industry so as to drive economic growth and employment generation.
Uba Misilli concluded that the governor appreciated the direct involvement and intervention of USAID in HIV/AIDS care and support, livelihood support initiative, education in crises response programme among others in the state in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
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