By Sola Shittu, Gombe

The Gombe State government yesterday approved the sum of N1, 892, 276.11 for the construction of a new general hospital in Kumo, the headquarters of Akko Local Government Area.

Addressing reporters after the State Executive Council meeting, the State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Julius Ishaya Lapes said the Council has equally approved the sum of N1,217,683,174,10 for the renovation, remodelling and upgrade of Kaltungo General Hospital.

Lapes also said the State Executive Council has approved the payment of Senior Certificate Examination for the year 2020/2021 for 15, 000 students of Gombe State origin which amounts to N222 million.

“The Council also ratified and approved the participation of Gombe State in the second phase of the Partnership for Extended Water Supply Sanitation and Hygiene, PEWASH programme through the payment of two hundred and fifty million naira as counterpart funds for three Local Government areas Shongom, Billiri, Nafada and Yalmatu Deba to benefit,” he said.

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While explaining the breakdown of the project, the Commissioner for Housing, Idris Abdullahi Kwami said the construction of a new general hospital in Kumo follows structural defects on the current structure occasioned by poor and sub-standard work.

According to him, the renovation and remodelling of the Kaltungo General Hospital was to transform the health facility and make it a special referral centre for people seeking quality medical services from within and outside the state.

“The revitalisation of health facilities was in fulfilment of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s campaign promise to upgrade at least one General Hospital in each of the three senatorial districts of the state into special referral centres, thereby easing the burden of distant travel by patients into the state capital to seek for medical attention,” he said.

He added that the construction of the Kumo General Hospital is expected to be completed within 26 weeks while that of Kaltungo is to be delivered within 17 weeks.

The Commissioner of Health, Dr Habu Dahiru said on completion,  both health facilities in Kumo and Kaltungo will experience a major improvement in all departments, including the provision of both senior and junior members of staff quarters as well as recreational facilities within the premises of the hospitals.

He noted that the construction and remodelling of the health facilities in Kumo and Kaltungo respectively serve as a holistic approach by the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya to improve health services in the State especially at the grassroots.

The Commissioner of Environment, Dr Hussaina Danjuma Goje had said the annual report by the Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency places Gombe and some other 26 states in the country on this year’s flood outlook.

To this end, the Commissioner explained that the governor has approved over N83 million for her ministry to embark on the desilting of major storm drainage in the state, especially those located within flood-prone areas.

Dr. Goje revealed that the State Executive Council has equally approved over N361 million for the provision of more waste collection centres across the state to ease the indiscriminate dumping of wastes in water channels.