By Editor Daily Fact

The League for Societal Protection Against Drug Abuse (LESPADA), Gombe State Chapter, has taken steps to strengthen the fight against drug abuse by seeking strategic collaboration with the Gombe State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

The visit, which took place on 15th January 2026, was led by the Gombe State Coordinator of LESPADA, Comrade Isma’ila Mohammed, alongside members of the organisation.

At the start of the meeting, Comrade Isma’ila Mohammed formally introduced himself and members of his delegation, explaining that the purpose of the visit was to explore areas of partnership with the ministry in addressing the increasing rate of drug abuse among youths in the state.

He noted that drug abuse remains a major threat to youth development, contributing to social problems such as thuggery, theft, violence, and other social vices, which undermine peace and progress in society. According to him, collaboration with relevant government institutions is critical to achieving meaningful and sustainable results.

In his welcome address, the Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Adamu Inuwa Pantami, expressed gratitude to Almighty God and commended LESPADA for recognizing the strategic role of the ministry in youth development.

The Commissioner assured the organisation of the ministry’s full cooperation and support, stressing that its mandate is to promote the welfare, empowerment, and positive engagement of youths across the state.

He stated that the ministry is open and willing to partner with individuals and organisations whose initiatives are aimed at improving the lives of young people and steering them away from destructive behaviours.

Alhaji Pantami further emphasized that drug abuse poses a serious danger to the future of the state’s youth population and called for collective efforts involving government agencies, civil society groups, community leaders, and parents to tackle the menace.

In his closing remarks, Comrade Isma’ila Mohammed expressed deep appreciation to the Honourable Commissioner and the management of the ministry for the warm reception and positive response.

He reaffirmed LESPADA’s commitment to youth sensitization, advocacy, and preventive education on the dangers of drug abuse. He also presented the Commissioner with informational and educational materials designed to raise awareness on the harmful effects of drug abuse among youths.

The visit ended on a note of mutual understanding, with both parties expressing readiness to work together towards building a healthier, safer, and drug-free youth population in Gombe State.

By Abubakar Rabilu, Gombe

The Gombe State House of Assembly has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting gender equality and protecting the rights of women and girls, as it hosted an advocacy delegation from the Center for the Study and Resolution of Domestic Violence (CERSDOV) in collaboration with the Norwegian Government and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The advocacy visit, led by Professor Hauwau Evelyn Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer of CERSDOV, aimed to enhance collaboration with the state legislature on the effective implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) law (VAPP) and the Child Rights Act, while also advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Gombe State.

Welcoming the delegation, the Speaker of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Muhammad Luggerewo, praised CERSDOV and its partners for their dedication to addressing gender-based violence and improving the welfare of women and girls.

He noted that under the leadership of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the state has demonstrated strong political will to safeguard women’s rights and dignity, citing the passage of key gender protection laws and ongoing empowerment initiatives.

“Our government remains committed to ensuring a society where women and girls live free from violence, fear, and discrimination. The Assembly will continue to provide legislative backing to all efforts that promote gender equity and justice,” Luggerewo assured.

The Speaker also revealed that the state government, in partnership with the Federal Government and the World Bank, recently disbursed over ₦7 billion to support girl-child education and women’s empowerment programs.

Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Hon. Gabriel Galadima, commended CERSDOV and its development partners for their impactful work across the state, pledging that the Assembly will ensure full enforcement of the VAPP Law and other gender-related legislations.

In her remarks, Professor Hauwau Evelyn Yusuf appreciated the Assembly for its commitment and legislative support but emphasized the importance of practical enforcement of the laws.

“Domestication is only the first step. What truly matters is ensuring implementation, justice, and accountability. The violation of one girl child is a violation against the entire nation,” she stated.

Professor Yusuf highlighted that CERSDOV, with support from UNFPA and the Norwegian Government, has trained community ambassadors, local officials, and law enforcement agencies across Gombe to combat gender-based violence, especially in rural communities.

The meeting concluded with both parties pledging stronger collaboration to reinforce gender protection mechanisms and ensure effective enforcement of laws promoting the rights and dignity of women and girls in Gombe State. Child Rights Act, while also advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Gombe State.

By Our Correspondent

The Gombe State Internal Revenue Service (GIRS) has commended the Tax Justice and Governance Platform (TJ&GP) for partnering with the agency to strengthen its staff capacity on taxpayers’ database management and grievance redress mechanisms.

Executive Chairman of GIRS, Hajiya Aishatu Adamu Yaro Gombe, made the commendation during the closing of a two-day engagement on Taxpayer Database and Grievance Redress Mechanism, organized by the Service in collaboration with TJ&GP.

Represented by the Director of Taxpayer Services, Kabiru Shehu Muhammad, Aishatu Adamu said the training was designed to equip staff with skills on how to properly listen to and address taxpayers’ grievances in order to build trust and boost revenue generation for the state.

She assured that all recommendations reached during the engagement would be adopted, while also soliciting continued support from civil society organizations in sensitizing the public on the importance of tax compliance.

Speaking on behalf of participating CSOs, Hajiya Halima Mahdi expressed gratitude to GIRS and TJ&GP for organizing the program, noting that it has reshaped their understanding of tax payment.

She pledged to cascade the knowledge acquired to other stakeholders and intensify public awareness campaigns on tax responsibilities.

Similarly, leader of TJ&GP in Jigawa state, Muhammad Abdul Dutse, said the platform was in Gombe to help build standard procedures for handling taxpayers’ grievances. According to him, effective grievance redress will enhance compliance and boost taxpayer confidence in the system.

He also urged the people of Gombe State to be consistent in paying their taxes and to channel complaints through the appropriate authorities to support government’s revenue mobilization drive.

In his remarks, another representative of TJ&GP, Sadiq Muhammad Mustapha, commended GIRS for its commitment to reforms aimed at strengthening internally generated revenue in the state.

The engagement ended with a strong commitment from both the Service and its partners to work together in entrenching transparency, fairness, and accountability in Gombe’s tax administration.