By Abdul Lauya
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has signed into law the Local Council Development Areas (Creation & Administration) Bill, establishing 13 new councils across the state.
The signing marks the final step in a process that began weeks ago with the Bill’s submission to the State Assembly and its swift passage after public hearings.
With the law now in place, Gombe moves from 11 local governments to 24 administrative units, a change Yahaya described as “historic and people-driven.”
The governor said the reform addresses structural imbalance and extends government presence to underserved rural communities.
He insisted the law draws its legitimacy from the 1999 Constitution, which mandates states to promote security, welfare and grassroots participation.
Yahaya directed both the existing LGAs and the new LCDAs to concentrate on security, education, healthcare and agriculture as their core mandates.
He gave a six-month deadline for councils to deliver measurable results, a timeline seen as a test of seriousness.
To manage the transition, the governor announced a technical committee chaired by the deputy governor with senior officials as members.
He also said interim committees will run the LCDAs until elections are conducted, highlighting both administrative urgency and political calculation.
Yahaya compared the reform to the creation of Gombe State in 1996, noting that bold steps often meet resistance but pay off over time.
The new LCDAs include Akko North, Akko West, Balanga South, Billiri West, Dukku North, Funakaye South, Gombe South, Kaltungo East, Kwami West, Nafada South, Pero-Chonge, Yamaltu East and Yamaltu West.
Analysts say the reform could reshape grassroots governance and political structures in Gombe, setting the stage for both development gains and new power contests.
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