Politics without bitterness is the main ingredient in any democratic setting. It ensures respect for party ideology as all are vehicles through which the society could be developed in all ramifications. The Action Alliance, AA, governorship candidate for Gombe state in the 2023 general elections, Dr Nuhu Milah Adeh, is a staunch advocate of “politics without bitterness”.
He also believes that there should be absolute respect for one another as members of political parties campaign for their principals. Dr Adeh is humble philanthropist, a man of the people, vast in knowledge, exposed and experienced, a seasoned orthopedic surgeon/consultant, a teacher, military veteran, trustworthy and effective manager and administrator of both human and resources.
A retired Brigadier General in the Nigerian Army, Dr Nuhu Milah Adeh’s desire is not only to be a truly people’s servant in uplifting the living standards of the people in the state, irrespective of any difference, but also to improve on all that has been done by previous administrations in the state and to vigorously explore other areas that need urgent attention towards making life more meaningful to all citizens in the state.
Adeh’s manifesto is centred in a four-policy plan for the good people of Gombe state. These are education, security, agriculture and rural development; and health. He promises to vigorously pursue the four-policy plan religiously in order to make life more meaningful in an ideal society.
On education, the governorship candidate believes that Gombe state’s location as the nerve centre of the North Eastern states, comprising Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba, can provide ambience for learning. His government intends to improve on the current standard of tertiary education in Gombe state by providing additional infrastructure and state-of-the-art facilities to compete favourably with the best.
Bursaries will be given to all students in the state in tertiary institutions nationwide. Free and compulsory education from primary to secondary school will be granted to all children of Gombe state origin. This will get all out-of-school children off the streets and back to school. He will also to liaise with religious bodies to improve the state government’s funding for the Almajiri system of education to eradicate street begging by Gombe state by children.
On security, the AA governorship candidate said Gombe state as a safe haven has witnessed the influx of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) some of whom are not properly documented and settled by the government. Consequently, he said as a veteran with experience in conflict prone areas and security protocols, his government will maintain effective and seamless communication with e-national security architecture, especially the ministries of interior and defence, to help tailor operations according to the local terrain and communication with the state security council to provide adequate and timely support.
On agriculture and rural development, Dr Adeh’s government shall create self-sufficiency in food production as well as improve nutritional standards for the people of Gombe state. A recent study revealed that the agriculture potential of the state has barely been tapped, and the demand for fresh produce will continue to outstrip the supply for many years to come. There is also the potential for increased production of crops that provide raw material such as cotton for industries. He intends to create investment opportunities across board in the direction of production, agricultural input, processing, transportation and infrastructure.
He will improve storage, food processing and marketing facilities; water resources development by providing earth dams to water live-stocks and dry season irrigation farming. There will be an aggressive programme on deforestation to help the reversal of deforestation and desert encroachment. The state government will engage the School of Forestry and Horticulture. It will establish centres for agricultural extension services in each of the 11 local government areas of the state, which shall be given priority attention.
It will Improve access to fertiliser, storage facilities and agricultural loans. His government will place emphasis on rural development by creating agriculture value chain investments infrastructure like roads, electricity to link rural areas to market with the assistance of modern solar-powered energy innovations for the small scale industries in the country side to boost youth employment and by extension containing rural urban migration and insecurity. His government will sustain effort to eradicate poverty among the rural communities.
In the health sector, Gombe is among the high maternal mortality rate states in the country. The North Eastern states have a ßtatistics of 1,549 deaths per 100,000 live births. Basic services to ensure a higher level of general wellbeing among Gombe state citizens have to be boosted. At the same time, the training and equipping of traditional birth attendants and first aid providers will be intensified. Considerable attention will be focused on malaria, typhoid and infectious diseases due to poor environmental conditions to mitigate the increase and widespread of these health challenges.
The administration of Dr Adeh will create a sustainable arrangement between health service providers in the rural communities to improve their welfare. He will increase the allowances for resident health service professionals, provide drugs and equipment to rural health facilities, liaise with international health organisations like Doctors Without Borders (MEF), World Health Organisation, West African College of Surgeons, Red Cross and Red Crescent to complement the effort of Gombe state government in ensuring a healthy and vibrant citizenry of the state.
The bane of government in Gombe state has been the lack of inclusiveness. Not all the citizens have been carried along in the governance of the state. This neglect has not encouraged good neighbourliness and peaceful coexistence. For Gombe state to truly be the Jewel of the Savannah, all the people must feel the presence of government in their lives. He shall run an all-inclusive government and ensure that no section is left out in policy making and implementation of its programmes. They will be consulted and involved in the running of his government, their government.
This will mark a new beginning in transforming Gombe state and the commitment to democracy and development of the people as they are voted to serve in the 2023 general elections.
He was born on November 21, 1953, to the family of Adeh Larit (father) and Faratu Latenam (mother) in Kaltanga, Kashere Akko local government area of Gombe state. Nuhu’s educational journey began in Native Authority Primary School, Banganje from 1960 to 1966. He was overall best student in academics from his early years. He proceeded to Government College, Kaduna from 1967 to 1971. Thereafter, he enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1972 as an officer cadet. He studied medicine at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he earned a post graduate degree in Orthopedic & Trauma in 1992, postgraduate certificate in Orthopaedic and Traumatology, Sourasky Medical Centre, Tel-Aviv University, Israel. He is a member of Nigerian Medical and Dental Association and Nigerian Orthopaedic Association, Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons.
He is married to Mrs Norma Nancy Adeh and blessed with children.
Tauna writes from Kaduna
