The federal government, on Monday, said it would soon address flood and unemployment problems in Gombe State.
But the government charged citizens of the state to register for its ongoing N-Power programme, reminding that the registration ends on July 26, 2020.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, speaking when the state governor, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya, paid him a courtesy call in her office, in Abuja, also government would pay active attention to the poverty ravaging the state with a view to considerably address the issue.
Recalling that Gombe was taken into consideration by the government during the recent distribution of palliatives to cushion the effect of the lockdown occasioned by the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country, Mrs. Farouq promised that additional palliative items will be delivered to the state soon.
Her promise followed an appeal by the governor seeking the government’s imminent intervention in addressing the problems in his state.
Noting that President Muhammad Buhari established the ministry to address some problems in the country notable among which she said, was a disaster, the minister said the vision for which the ministry was set up was on course.
Hear her: “This ministry was created by President Muhammadu Buhari on August 21, 2019, to be able to provide succour to the poor in the area of disaster management, poverty alleviation, among others. It is a ministry that connects with the poorest of the poor at the grassroots anywhere in Nigeria.
“Therefore, all the issues you raised about Gombe are something I believe we can work together to resolve.”
According to her, “More palliatives will be sent to Gombe through NEMA; in form of grains as we will make sure Gombe is included as part of the frontline states with regards to floods. We have already sent out warnings to different states as we want to mitigate disaster to the barest minimum.”
On the N-Power programme, she told the governor: “I urge you to tell your people to enroll more in the Batch C N-Power programme, which will close on July 26.
“I will make sure justice is done to all the states. I will also lay your complaint of a lack of COVID-19 testing facilities to the PTF so that NCDC can intervene. We are working with the Ministry of Agriculture, so rural farmers in Gombe will be empowered. More poor people in Gombe will be targeted for the NSIP. I can assure you, the ministry will pay more attention to Gombe now, more than before.”
The Gombe State governor, earlier in his mission statement, said he was in the minister’s office to seek federal government assistance to some problems being faced by the people of the state.
He particularly appealed to the federal government to intervene in areas of insecurity, floods, poverty problems just as he sought the establishment of COVID-19 testing centre in Gombe State.
He said: “We have boundaries with states in the Northeast and the issue of insurgency and insecurity is forcing many residents to flee into the state to settle, thereby overstretching our poor social facilities.
“Therefore, we need intervention in the area of insecurity, floods and even combating COVID-19, especially as we don’t have testing centres.”
Vanguard