Gombe: The Gombe Government has announced that the newly initiated state secretariat complex project by Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s administration is expected to save over N600 million in rent. Yahaya recently broke ground for the N68.58 billion project located in the Gombe metropolis.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the state’s Head of Service, Alhaji Ahmed Abdullah, stated that the project aims to provide office accommodation for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), which have been operating in rented facilities. Abdullah described the project as one of the most impactful infrastructure investments in the state’s history.
Abdullah highlighted that the lack of adequate office space has been a significant concern for the government, resulting in an annual rent expenditure of over N600 million for the MDAs. He explained that the current secretariat, built approximately 29 years ago, accommodates only two ministries and the Office of the Head of Service. Over the past three years, the government has been spending more than N600 million annually on rented spaces, a cost deemed unsustainable.
The new complex, strategically located, is set to be one of the best in the country, according to Abdullah. He emphasized that it is a legacy project designed to serve future generations by centralizing the operations of the MDAs under one roof, thereby enhancing administrative efficiency, inter-agency collaboration, and staff productivity.
In terms of workers’ welfare, Abdullah noted that the Yahaya administration has paid N17 billion out of the N21 billion backlog of gratuities inherited from previous administrations. Additionally, a health insurance scheme has been introduced to improve access to quality healthcare services. Abdullah remarked on the unprecedented commitment to civil servants’ welfare, citing improvements in infrastructure, healthcare, and pensions as evidence of a new standard set by the governor.
He urged workers to reciprocate the government’s efforts with dedication to duty, stating that the civil service reforms and investments are intended to empower them and encourage effective service delivery.
