Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, met with the acting United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr David Green, on Thursday, to express the state’s eagerness to explore opportunities in various sectors for sustainable human capital development.
During the meeting in Abuja, the Governor highlighted areas such as education, health, agriculture, and the environment as potential avenues for collaboration. The discussion also centered around climate and environmental projects, as well as Gombe’s innovative drive for financing and investment in projects with environmental benefits.
One significant topic of discussion was the possibility of raising the first green bond at the sub-national level to generate funds specifically for sustainable and environmentally friendly projects within Gombe state. The partnership with the US Embassy aims to leverage expertise and resources to facilitate the successful issuance of this forest bond.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya emphasized the immense potential for growth and development in Gombe, with a population of over 3.8 million people, and the state’s desire for more partnerships and collaboration across different sectors to meet the needs of its citizens.
In addition to environmental initiatives, the Governor discussed the rehabilitation of the Balanga Dam and the focus on revitalizing its infrastructure and operational efficiency. Furthermore, Gombe state, in collaboration with Outsource Global, is working on skill acquisition and capacity-building programs for youth displaced from conflict states within the Northeast. Governor Inuwa Yahaya also emphasized the importance of regional collaboration among Northern Governors to address common challenges and find collective solutions, ensuring the efficient pooling of resources and sharing of best practices.
Overall, the Governor sought improved partnerships with the US in various sectors of the economy. The Gombe Goes Green (3G) initiative, aimed at combating desertification and deforestation by planting 4 million trees, was highlighted as a key priority, with plans to issue a green bond to raise financing for climate-friendly projects.