Gombe State governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu for intervention in the stalled Kolmani Integrated Development Project.
The governor disclosed this to State House correspondents after meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Friday.
Governor Yahaya, who also serves as the chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, expressed frustration over the lack of progress on the project, which was flagged off nearly two years ago by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The ambitious initiative includes plans for a 250,000-barrel capacity refinery, a 350-megawatt power plant, and a 2,000-ton capacity fertilizer plant.
“The lack of progress on the Kolmani project is really a very unfortunate development,” Governor Yahaya lamented.
He explained that issues between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the project partners have hindered operations.
The governor emphasised the importance of presidential intervention, stating, “It’s part of the discussion I had with Mr. President, believing that once he steps in, maybe we will see activities back.”
He noted that since petroleum and gas fall under the exclusive list, state governments have limited capacity to intervene directly.
The Kolmani project, situated at the border of Bauchi and Gombe states, was hailed as a significant development for the region when it was launched.
Governor Yahaya hoped that President Tinubu’s intervention would will help resolve the impasse and allow activities to resume on the site “as soon as possible.”
Speaking on the issue of food security, the governor maintained that his administration was committed to supporting the federal government in all its initiatives targeted at enhancing agricultural productivity for sustained food security in the state, stating that his administration has keyed into the cassava production which has low input requirements and high yield potential.
“Apart from the 50 per cent discount we granted on the fertilizer price and other initiatives we are implementing to enhance productivity in the agricultural sector to ensure food security, we recently earmarked 500 hectares (of land) for cassava cultivation across the state to complement other crops being produced in large quantities in the state”, the governor said.
Reflecting on his recent trip to Morocco, Governor Yahaya highlighted the potential benefits of deepening economic and diplomatic ties with the North African country, saying Gombe State, being predominantly agrarian economy, tends to benefit greatly from the support of the Moroccan government and experts in advancing agricultural activities in the state.
“Our visit to Morocco was to seek for partnership and support to improve several critical sectors, most importantly the agricultural sector. Gombe is an agrarian state and we want to see our farmers graduate from subsistence into commercial farming in line with the current technological advancement,” he stated.
He noted Morocco’s impressive agricultural output despite its arid conditions, attributing the success to effective practices that Gombe State aims to adopt while fostering partnerships with the Moroccan entrepreneurs to boost livestock and crop production, which could significantly enhance food security.
The governor also highlighted the steps taken by his administration to enhance livestock production and resilience through various projects and initiatives such as the World Bank-funded Livestock Production and Resilience Support Project for effective value chain strategies, job creation, and wealth enhancement for farmers and butchers.
“Gombe State is building an ultra-modern abattoir and cattle market to serve as a regional hub for livestock business activities. This will lead us to introduce modern technology, such as cold chain vehicles, to improve the efficiency and profitability of livestock transportation and processing.
“The state government is also focusing on the Wawa-Zange Grazing Reserve to enhance food security, economic prosperity, and livestock productivity. Our plans include addressing water scarcity by drawing water from the Kupto River and installing solar-powered electricity, among other facilities,” he added.
Governor Yahaya also discussed ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity in Gombe State and the broader northern region, acknowledging the challenges posed by Boko Haram, banditry and other insurgencies while noting that Gombe has been relatively secure compared to other states.
“We have been doing a lot in order to ensure there is security for lives and property in Gombe, and the security agencies have been very supportive,” the governor said while reiterating the importance of collaboration to restore security and address its root causes such as poverty and food crisis, among others.
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