Gombe gov signs bill establishing 13 LCDAs

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, on Monday signed into law the Local Council Development Areas (Creation & Administration) Bill, 2025, establishing 13 new Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to complement the existing 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.

The newly created LCDAs, modeled after successful examples in other parts of the country, were drawn from the State Assembly Constituencies, bringing the number of local administrative units in the state from 11 to 24.

Speaking during the signing ceremony at the Government House, the Governor described the development as a “bold, constitutional and people-driven reform designed to correct structural imbalances, expand governance frontiers, and ensure equitable service delivery across the state.”

He cited Section 4(7) and Section 5(2b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as the legal basis for the establishment of the LCDAs.

Inuwa Yahaya emphasized that the landmark law fulfills the state’s responsibility under Chapter II of the Constitution to promote the security, welfare, and democratic participation of all citizens.

“Our state has one of the smallest numbers of LGAs in the country, despite our expansive landmass and rapidly growing population,” he said.

This imbalance, he noted, has hindered development and weakened government presence in many rural communities. “With this law, we are correcting that historical anomaly,” he added.

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The Governor directed all Local Governments and LCDAs to focus their operations on four core areas: security, basic education, primary healthcare, and agriculture.

He gave a six-month performance timeline for Local Government Councils and the new LCDAs to begin delivering measurable results in these sectors.

To ensure a seamless transition, the Governor announced the constitution of a high-powered Transition Technical Committee, chaired by the Deputy Governor, with the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Commissioners of Local Government and Finance, the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, the ALGON Chairman and his deputy, the DG Joint Projects Development Agency, the State Auditor-General, and the Chairman of NULGE as members.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, will serve as secretary.

He added that an Executive Order would be signed in the coming days to formalize the Committee’s mandate, while Interim Management Committees would also be established to oversee the LCDAs pending full operationalization and future elections.

Drawing a parallel with the creation of Gombe State in 1996, the Governor noted that structural reforms, though initially demanding, ultimately yield positive outcomes. He added that the Gombe State of today has outgrown its original structure, citing its evolution from a modest Gombe Division into a fast-growing subnational model.

The Governor listed the new LCDAs and their headquarters as follows: Akko North (Amada), Akko West (Pindiga), Balanga South (Bambam), Billiri West (Tal), Dukku North (Malala), Funakaye South (Tongo), and Gombe South (Bolari).

Others include Kaltungo East (Wange), Kwami West (Bojude), Nafada South (Birin-Fulani), Pero-Chonge (Filiya), Yamaltu East (Dadinkowa), and Yamaltu West (Zambuk).

Presenting the Bill for assent, the Speaker of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Muhammad Luggerewo, stated that following the receipt of the proposal from the Executive, the House acted swiftly and diligently by subjecting it to the full rigour of legislative scrutiny.

He explained that the legislature organised public hearings and engaged critical stakeholders across the state to gather input and consider citizens’ submissions.

Rt. Hon. Luggerewo commended the Governor for his foresight and political will in initiating the Bill, describing the interest and solidarity shown by citizens during the public engagement process as unprecedented.

“We made several thoughtful amendments during the legislative process to enrich the Bill and ensure it is operationally sound, with the goal of deepening grassroots development,” the Speaker said.

Providing legal context, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Zubair Muhammad Umar, explained that the establishment of LCDAs aligns with the ongoing national constitutional review process, which envisions the future creation of new Local Government Areas (LGAs).

“Given the volume of community requests for LGAs and the limitations of time and constitutional constraints, the government opted for a practical solution—converting state constituencies delineated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) into LCDAs,” he said.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, described the event as a major milestone in the state’s commitment to grassroots governance and enhanced service delivery.

“The creation of these 13 LCDAs will expand opportunities for citizen participation, strengthen local governance structures, and promote more responsive and inclusive development,” Prof. Njodi affirmed.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE