On October 1, 1996, Gombe State was carved out of Bauchi State as the youngest member of Nigeria’s northeastern region. Along with its birth came big dreams, one of which was to establish a befitting Secretariat that would embody the ideals of governance, unity, and progress.
The Dahiru Muhammad Secretariat, constructed under the watch of Group Captain Joseph Orji, was always meant to be the first phase of a greater vision. But for 29 years, that vision was left unrealized, a silent monument to unfulfilled potential.
Today, history is taking a decisive turn. Under the purposeful leadership of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, Gombe is not just catching up with time, it is sprinting into the future.
The foundation laying of the new Ultra-modern Gombe State Secretariat Complex is not just another brick-and-mortar ceremony; it is a powerful statement of intent, a fulfillment of an overdue promise, and a resounding message to future generations that leadership, when committed and visionary, can correct the past and shape the future.
For nearly three decades, the absence of a comprehensive state secretariat meant that Ministries, Departments, and Agencies were scattered across rented and inappropriate buildings. These dilapidated arrangements drained public funds, fragmented service delivery, and stifled interministerial collaboration. It was an operational inefficiency that cost more than money; it cost morale, cohesion, and pride.
Now, all that is changing. The new multi-billion Naira Gombe State Secretariat Complex, awarded to Datum Construction Nigeria Limited, and expected to be completed in 102 weeks, is poised to become the single most transformative civil infrastructure project since the creation of the state. But it is not just the scale that makes this project remarkable; it is its symbolism and functionality.
Designed to host the Office of the Head of Service and four additional blocks that will accommodate multiple ministries, the complex will centralize government operations, cut overheads, and breathe new life into public service. It reflects a government that values its workforce and understands that productivity thrives where conditions are optimal.
With integrated digital infrastructure and green energy solutions, this Secretariat will marry tradition with modernity, a built environment where the rich cultural identity of Gombe State coexists with 21st-century innovation.
This Secretariat is not an isolated effort. It completes a visionary trio alongside the new State House of Assembly and High Court complexes to form the emerging Three-Arms Zone. Together, these projects will provide the physical and institutional foundation for responsive governance and equitable justice.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s administration has consistently demonstrated that governance is not just about structures, but systems.
Since taking office in 2019, he has implemented the new minimum wage, cleared over N21 billion in inherited gratuity arrears, reinvigorated the Civil Service Commission, and established the Bureau of Public Service Reforms. These are not just policy checklists, they are efforts to restore dignity and build a service-driven state.
But ultimately, this is not just the Governor’s story. It is the story of every civil servant who has worked in cramped rented offices, every Gombe citizen who has yearned for better governance, and every young child who will grow up in a state that finally lives up to its promise.
To the civil and public servants, the Governor said, “this is your sanctuary, a space worthy of your service. And to the people of Gombe, this is your legacy, a symbol that your government believes not just in progress, but in permanence”.
As the foundation for this legacy project is laid, so too is a deeper truth: that good governance is not about loud proclamations, but about quiet revolutions, brick by brick, reform by reform.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya is proving that with vision, courage, and commitment, no dream is too old to be revived, and no promise too distant to be fulfilled.
