Governor of Gombe state Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has been elected as the chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF).
The governor was unanimously elected by the 19 northern governors during their forum’s meeting held on Tuesday at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja.
Governor Inuwa takes over from Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau state with effect from 29th May, 2023.
In his acceptance speech, Governor Inuwa promised to justify the confidence reposed in him by his colleagues across party devides.
He emphasised that the good legacies of the forum would be sustained to bequeath not only verile organisation, but a better future for the people of the north at the end of his tenure as chairman of the Northern Governors Forum.
Inuwa assured the northern governors that in line with the objectives of the forum, he would strive to sustain the strides left behind by his predecessors.
He said the focus of the NSGF on economic development would be the driving force of the forum while his chairmanship lasts.
He observed that the region is challenged by insurgency in the North East, ethnic and religious crisis within the North Central as well as farmers/herders clashes and the subsequent effect of banditry and cattle rustling among others.
The new NSGF chairman noted that inspite of the social and economic challenges confronting the northern region, the Forum has made tremendous impact and has changed the tide for the betterment of its people.
He remarked that since the focus of the NSGF is built on addressing such social challenges, the Forum, under his leadership will do everything possible to ensure that they are addressed in the Interest and benefits of the people.
“We will work hard to ensure that we catch up with the rest of the country, possibly with the developed parts of the world so that our people will feel the impact of good governance we all pursue”.
He expressed delight with the commencement of drilling activities in the Lake Chad Basin which has brought to three drilling sites in the North to include Kolmani in Gombe and Bauchi and the one in Nasarawa State. He assured that the Forum will see to the actualization of the exploration of the large oil and gas deposits in the North for the benefit of the people.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya noted that the Northern region of the country is sitting on not only oil and gas deposits. but solid minerals which the Forum has no reason not to exploit and put to use for the benefit of the people.
The Gombe state governor used the occasion to thank the outgoing chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Plateau state governor Hon. Simon Bako Lalong for his administrative ingenuity despite numerous challenges in his state in particular and the North in general.
He said the NEGF would continue to work with past leadership of forum in order to consolidate on the gains so far recorded and to properly place it on the smooth trajectory of social cohesion, economic emancipation and infrastructural development.
