By Abdullahi Auwal

Sometimes one feels compelled to speak, especially when it becomes painfully obvious that leadership priorities are misplaced and the people’s real problems are not being fundamentally addressed.

In early 2020s, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya awarded an ₦11 billion contract to Jidadu Ventures for the rehabilitation, extension, and reticulation of the metropolitan water system. At that time, I wrote clearly that the government was proceeding on the wrong footing. Either it did not fully understand the root cause of the water crisis, or it was repeating the familiar pattern of awarding contracts without solving the structural problem.

Today, that ₦11 billion project is presumed completed – yet Gombawa are still not seeing water.

More worrisome is the recent approval at the 52nd State Executive Council sitting under Governor Inuwa Yahaya. This time, ₦54 billion has been approved again in the name of solving the same water problem.

The breakdown is alarming

• ₦23 billion to One Off-Grid Electric Limited for a solar power plant at Dadinkowa Water Treatment Plant.
• ₦7 billion to Ceylon Construction Services for a dedicated power line to Dadinkowa and upgrades at Tabra Booster Station.
• ₦24 billion, once again to Jidadu Ventures (the same company that received ₦11 billion five years ago) to rehabilitate and upgrade the old Malam Inna Water Supply Scheme.

This brings total water-related commitments under this administration to over ₦65 billion.(In the public space)

Before I proceed further, let me state clearly, this ₦54 billion contracts will not solve Gombe’s water crisis because it appears to be another round of surface-level interventions on a poorly assessed core problem.

Eighteen months from now, after the projects are declared “completed,” we will return here discussing the same water scarcity, just as we did after the ₦11 billion contract was awarded.

The pattern is repeating itself.

What Happened to many components of the First ₦11 Billion?

Several questions remain unanswered;

1. What became of the 2,000 ‘smart meters’ claimed to be installed?
2. Where are the 250 bulk meters?
3. Has the Wuro Juli Water Scheme delivered visible impact?
4. What is the status of the Gombe Capital Zone, Tunfure, and Tashan Mai Aduwa booster stations?
5. Has the 160km pipeline network significantly improved distribution within the city?
6. Where is the water?

All the aforementioned are components of the earlier ₦11 billion project, if the project has not produced measurable and sustained improvement, why should the public believe that ₦54 billion more will?

Can we say we had wasted N11bn ?

Yes wasted, had proper technical assessments been conducted five years ago, we would not be approving fresh billions today to fix the same problem.

On the new projects

There are serious inconsistencies in the new approvals. If ₦23 billion will be spent on a solar power plant for Dadinkowa Water Treatment Plant, why allocate another ₦7 billion for a dedicated power line to the same route? Are we funding two parallel energy solutions without a coherent strategy?

If the objective is to solve water scarcity, why not expand daily treatment capacity at Dadinkowa instead of spending ₦24 billion rehabilitating the old Malam Inna scheme?

Why re-award a larger contract to the same contractor when the earlier intervention has not convincingly solved the problem?

These are not emotional questions. They are fiscal responsibility questions..

In the same sitting, contracts worth ₦135 billion were reportedly approved with an 18-month completion timeline, yet the administration has limited time remaining in office.

By the time these projects are completed, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya will no longer be in Government House to answer for outcomes.

This fuels public suspicion that such large, last-minute approvals are less about sustainable reform and more about end-of-tenure financial maneuvers.

The Reality in Gombe today is that, Despite billions committed, Residents still rely on water vendors, Boreholes remain overstretched and the entire neighborhoods experience prolonged dry taps.

After ₦65 billion in cumulative spending, this should not be the reality.

The Bottom Line is that, If this administration is sincere and confident in its water strategy, it should have in the last 7years guarantee;

• Measurable increase in daily treated water capacity.
• Transparent public reporting of project milestones.
• Reliable and consistent water supply across Gombe metropolis.

Without these, ₦65 billion will simply become another entry in the history of expensive projects that failed to solve a basic problem.

The current members of the State Executive Council should fear God and remember that they will one day answer to God Almighty for approving ₦54 billion worth of water projects that will surely not solve our problem, mere jamboree projects that will only add to the long history of public funds squandered without delivering real solutions.

Many will describe this as just another typical last-minute conduit cash-out by the Nigerian political class, who never seem to tire of feeding on public funds. More troubling is the suspicion that such end-of-tenure projects are often designed either to finance elections or to prepare comfortable exit packages for Ogah at the top.

Public funds are sacred. They are not political tools. They belong to the people.

Gombawa do not need more contract announcements.

Gombawa need water.

Abdullahi Auwal
Writes from Kumbia-Kumbia
28th February, 2026

By Our Political Correspondent

In a bold and strongly worded open letter that is already generating significant discussion within political circles, the Gombe State PDP Youth Leader and Chairman of the Forum of 36 States and FCT PDP Youth Leaders, Hon. Jamilu Ali Kalshingi, has called on Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya—who also serves as Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum—to urgently rethink the leadership approach currently steering the northern region.

The letter, addressed directly to the Governor, expresses deep concern over what Kalshingi describes as a “disturbing shift from the values of unity, service, and collective good that once defined leadership across the North.” He laments the region’s declining security situation, growing poverty levels, and a perceived widening disconnect between elected leaders and the people.

Kalshingi reminds Governor Yahaya of the enormous responsibility placed upon him, both as a state chief executive and as head of the Northern Governors Forum. He notes that the North, once regarded as a united and peaceful region under a singular leadership structure, now faces mounting challenges that threaten the very fabric of its stability.

According to him, insecurity has taken a devastating toll on communities across northern Nigeria, with banditry, terrorism, and communal clashes becoming a daily reality. This, he says, has not only endangered lives but also crippled economic activities and widened social fractures.

The youth leader further expressed disappointment at the alarming rate of poverty sweeping across the region, arguing that despite its abundant resources, many northern citizens still struggle with basic needs such as education, healthcare, and employment. He attributes this situation to leadership approaches that often prioritize political maneuvers and personal interests over genuine development.

In the letter, Kalshingi invokes the vision of the North’s founding fathers—leaders who championed unity, selflessness, and public service. He urges Governor Yahaya to revive this legacy by leading the Northern Governors Forum with renewed transparency, accountability, and commitment to the people.

“You have a unique chance to rewrite history,” he asserts, calling on the Governor to galvanize his colleagues toward collective action aimed at restoring peace and prosperity to the region. He stresses that the future of the North depends heavily on the decisions being made today.

Kalshingi’s message ends with a powerful reminder of the mandate entrusted to elected leaders: “Let us work diligently to restore the North to its former glory—a place where integrity, service, and unity prevail.”

The open letter has quickly gained attention across Gombe State and beyond, with political observers noting that it reflects growing public concern over the region’s socio-economic decline. As the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, analysts say Governor Yahaya may now be under more pressure to respond decisively to the issues raised.

Whether this call will spark renewed collaboration and reform among northern governors remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—the conversation has been ignited, and the expectations from the people are higher than ever.

By Our Correspondent

Prominent activist and commentator, Ibrahim Garba Wala (IG Wala), has raised a thought-provoking concern over the ongoing beautification projects in Gombe State under Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s administration, warning that such efforts could amount to “mere window dressing” if pressing issues of poverty and human capital development remain unaddressed.

In a strongly worded statement, Wala lamented that despite the billions of naira reportedly spent on beautification and infrastructure, many young girls aged between 13 and 17 can still be found roaming the streets of Gombe in the early hours of the day, desperately seeking casual farm jobs to support their families.

“Beautification of Gombe State will be a window dressing if young girls of 13 to 17 years of age are on the streets in the early hours of the day seeking who to offer them casual farm jobs daily for their families to survive,” he said.

Wala urged the governor to redirect a significant portion of government spending towards human capital development, stressing that empowering families through targeted interventions would have a more lasting impact than physical projects.

He also questioned the transparency and inclusiveness of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme under the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, which he said was worth ₦419 billion. According to him, there is little evidence on the ground in Gombe State to show who the actual beneficiaries of the scheme are.

“This brings us to the question: in Gombe State, who are the beneficiaries of the ₦419 billion Conditional Cash Transfers under the APC administration?” Wala asked.

The CCT programme, designed to provide stipends to the poorest and most vulnerable households across Nigeria, has faced repeated scrutiny over alleged lack of transparency, politicization, and uneven distribution of funds.

Analysts say Wala’s intervention echoes the concerns of many residents who argue that while physical infrastructure is important, tackling deep-rooted poverty, youth unemployment, and access to quality education remains central to sustainable development in Gombe State.

As the Yahaya administration continues its drive to transform Gombe into a model state in the Northeast, critics insist that the true measure of progress lies not in the number of beautified streets or roundabouts, but in how well the lives of ordinary citizens — particularly women, children, and vulnerable groups — are improved.