Gombe’s impressive IGR/ debt profile By Abu-Ubaida Ibrahim Kuna

One of the high points of forward-looking leadership for which Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe state would definitely be remembered after his tenure is his outstanding prudence and determination to make the state economically independent and buoyant.
Since he assumed the mantle of leadership, Dankwambo has worked very hard in the area of revenue generation while also ensuring that the debt profile he inherited was reduced drastically to a manageable level.
As an accountant of no mean repute, he has over these years exhibited strong erudition in the various economic policies he introduced, leading to a huge leap in the internally generated revenue of the state.
In a season when the practice is for states to go cap in hand to Abuja for trickles from the federal allocations, one must commend Dankwambo for his leadership in ensuring that dependence on federal handouts is reduced drastically.
It is thus a huge misjudgment when attempts are made by detractors to unwittingly or deliberately accuse this very prudent and economically savvy governor of plunging the state into debt or not generating enough revenue for the state.
The question is: where did they get their warped statistics? The speculation that Gombe state’s external debt profile is one of the highest in the country is preposterous and must be understood as the machination of some unscrupulous elements trying to trivialize the developmental projects and economic renaissance initiatives undertaken by Dr Dankwambo, a man renowned nationally for his financial acumen.
In seven years and a few months, he has turned Gombe into a land of economic promise and has revolutionized the state’s revenue generating machine to the extent of transforming a zero income profile when he came in to one that by 2017 was confirmed by reputable financial institutions, including statistics bureaus, as one having an impressive monthly IGR portfolio running into hundreds of millions.
This reality is known to all people of conscience as the state is fast becoming an investment viable entity; a landlocked area transforming into a well spinning of resource and good fortunes.
Against this backdrop, it must be stated in clear terms that Gombe maintains a clean sheet of outstanding financial records and all projection points to steady economic progress in spite of the limited resources available.
This feat is not a pseudo analysis of Governor Dankwambo’s resolve to bring succor to the good people of Gombe state but one that attests to the fact that indeed, ‘When there is will, there is a way’.
Dankwambo has always exemplified his commitment to this right course at any given opportunity through fresh innovations within the ambit of the law and tenable stewardship.
In reality, it would be unfair to compare the financial base of Gombe which currently has 11 LGA and does not enjoy as much funds accruable from the nation’s oil wealth as enjoyed by oil rich states such as Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom or the kind of economic advantages enjoyed by buoyant states like highly industrialized Lagos, a former Federal Capital Territory.
Despite its economic disadvantages however, Gombe remains unbowed, creating an oasis of revenue generation.
By recent ratings, Gombe’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is at 79.24% when compared to Ogun state whose IGR growth rate is 2.54% or oil rich Rivers State’s 4.92%.
In the North, Gombe ranks among the states with the highest IGR percentage, compared to Kaduna with 55.59%, Katsina with 8.73%, Kogi with 17.51%, Kwara with 13.82%, Yobe with 11.02%, Zamfara with 26.10% and Niger with 10.82%.
Even Lagos, with all its industrial and cosmopolitan might has an average of 10.43%! So it is unimaginable that anyone would begrudge so maliciously a State like Gombe which despite its peculiarities and limitations has an IGR profile of almost 80%.
Again, the above statistics is impeccable because they are sourced from respected organization like the Debt Management Office, DMO, NBS and BudgIT.
Another issue worthy of note is the fact that unlike a majority of the states, Gombe has some of the lowest external debt growth rates in the country.
Presently, the external debt is put at about 3.57% which is a good sign of prudent management when compared to that of Abia state ranking at about 145.79% or Enugu with about 80.88%.
Gombe’s debt profile is indeed puny compared to that of other states like Osun with 36.79%, Rivers with 38.36%, Taraba with 21.12% and Niger with 25.30%.
The difference surely speaks for itself.
What this means is that unlike other states where external debt stocks are expended at a higher rate than they are growing internally generated revenues, the percentage of IGR in Gombe State is of an exceedingly greater ratio than that of its debt.
79.9% IGR compared to 3.7% external debt status is not only healthy for Gombe but, in comparison with many other states is a sign of the economic management skills of the government of Gombe.
This figure is expected to reduce as plans are in top gear to service this debt while focusing on developing the state.
These readings only prove to show that indeed Gombe is reaching for the stars not minding the daunting job of getting to the top.
As a former accountant general of the federation, the governor is putting all his years of robust accounting experience to the task of ensuring that this momentous record is sustained and improved upon.
Since the creation of the state in 1996 under successive governments, the state has been armed with tools of tenacity for unlimited progress and it has established a cordial relationship with neighboring states in order to strengthen the peace and promote commerce.
It is thus not surprising that the state has grown in leaps and bounds.
It takes a courageous governor to face the challenge of development squarely and be able to achieve so much in an economically hostile world.
So discerning Nigerians and Gombe state citizens must see every of Dankwambo’s policies as a step towards the acceleration of Gombe to the desirable heights.
Gombe state is a work in progress.
None of the hitherto stated plans and success story is a final port; it is only a means to a good end.
Kuna writes from Gombe