The Gombe State Government is seeking the intervention of the Federal Government to enable it tackle transportation and unemployment challenges. The Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwaabo, stated this during a meeting with the Minister of Trade and Investment, in Abuja.

Specifically, he stated that the state government would want to key into the Federal Government’s industrialisation policy as well as the recently inaugurated mass transit scheme to create jobs and generate wealth.

Dankwaabo said the state government was ready to partner the Ministry of Trade and Investment on the development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, especially in the area of skills acquisition.
He noted that the state government had embarked on the construction and rehabilitation of urban and rural roads to facilitate the smooth operations of Federal Assisted Mass Transit Buses.

He said, “This is the first time we are having a coordinated mass transit programme that will address the transport challenges across the country, create jobs and generate employment for our people.  We want to key into this scheme through the Gombe State Transport Corporation. Already, we have embarked on massive construction and rehabilitation of 43 roads across the state to facilitate smooth operation of the mass transit scheme in the state.”

“We are ready to contribute in any way the Federal Government wants us to contribute to ensure that the mass transit programme succeeds. The Federal Government’s assisted mass transit programme has a multiplier effect in terms of reducing the transportation cost and also creating jobs for our people.”
He added, “The way we are looking at it is that if we are given 100 buses, we will give each bus to three youths who will work in the morning, afternoon and night shifts. This means that about 300 people will be directly employed. We believe that this is a scheme that will take a lot of unemployed people off the streets.

“As part of our job creation scheme, we will key into the industrial policy of the Ministry of Trade and Investment, especially the progammes geared towards the development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. We are also ready to partner the ministry in this regard, especially in the areas that we have competitive advantage.”

Speaking during the meeting, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said the ministry was ready to partner Gombe State Government on attracting Foreign Direct Investment into the state.

He also noted that the Ministry had developed sector specific programmes that would fast-track the growth and development of cottage industries in line with its mandate of creating jobs and generating wealth across the country.