Gombe govt commits to FG’s cotton revival initiative

Gombe State Government is setting its sights on rejuvenating cotton industry by keying into federal initiatives and leveraging the state’s agricultural potential to drive socio-economic growth.

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, gave this indication during a meeting with a team from Arise Integrated Industrial Platform led by its Senior Vice President Jacky Riviere at the Government House, Gombe.

The Governor who commended the Federal Government’s efforts to rejuvenate Nigeria’s cotton, textile, and garment sector, assured of robust support to facilitate cotton revival in Gombe State, echoing the visionary approach of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in that direction.

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He said that with Gombe being a key cotton-producing state alongside its northern counterparts like Katsina, Kaduna, and Zamfara, there’s hope for a resurgence and steady off-take and processing of cotton lint and seeds as envisaged by the FG’s cotton revival project.

Inuwa Yahaya emphasised the importance of collaboration with stakeholders such as the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN) to ensure a holistic approach to revitalizing the cotton value chain.

He highlighted the potential of engaging farmers in Balanga Local Government and some southern LGAs, which are pivotal areas for cotton production in the state.

“Revamping the cotton industry holds promise for addressing unemployment among Nigerian youths and revitalizing the economy,” the Governor said.

He highlighted Gombe’s status as one of the highest cotton-producing states and pledged continuous encouragement for cotton farming to maximize benefits.

He told the visitors that with the establishment of the 1000-hectare Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park near the 40-megawatt Dadinkowa power plant and existing ginneries in Gombe State, the infrastructure is in place to support the resurgence of the CTG sector.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, Commissioner of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Nasiru Mohammed Aliyu mni and his Agriculture and Animal Husbandry counterpart, Dr. Barnabas Malle.