Gombe governor meets Buhari over flood, IDPs, gully erosion, oil exploration

Flood in Gongola Basin has displaced 3,200 families

Governor Muhammad Yahaya of Gombe State on Friday met President Muhammadu Buhari, seeking his assistance to tackle the challenges posed by the recent flood, gully erosion, and the resettlement of the internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Governor Yahaya, who spoke with State House reporters after meeting President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the flood around banks of Gongola Basin had displaced 3,200 families in two local government areas (LGAs).

He said efforts were being made to resettle not only those affected but also people living on flood planes and gullies which are normally susceptible to floods with the ongoing design of new layouts.

The governor said the 200 active gullies in Gombe State which had had devastating effects on the lives of the citizens required the support of the federal government.

He also explained that the relocation of displaced people from the neigbouring states to his state due to the activities of the insurgents had put a lot of stress on its resources, adding that “we need to share and seek guidance from Mr President as to how to manage the issues around insecurity and the people who have been displaced.”

Yahaya added that with the oil and gas exploration in Gombe and Bauchi states, specifically, in the whole of Gongola Basin, “we seek to get the support of the federal government so that the pressure will be mounted on the Nigerian National Petroleum cooperation, NNPC, and the DPR for them to see to the fact that the exploitation oil and gas deposit that is available in Gombe and in fact the wider Gongola Basin is encouraged so that economic activities will be triggered, our people will have jobs and the Gombe will join the league of oil producing states.”