Gombe
Gombe Government Leads Drive for Data-Backed Policies as MICS Survey Gains Momentum
Gombe Government Leads Drive for Data-Backed Policies as MICS Survey Gains Momentum
By Auwal Ahmad Umar, Gombe
The Gombe State Government has reaffirmed its leadership role in steering the ongoing Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), describing the exercise as a cornerstone for evidence-based planning aimed at improving the lives of women and children across the state.
The Acting Statistician-General of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dule Abubakar, made this known during a stakeholder engagement in Gombe, where he highlighted the state’s strategic coordination of the survey through the Gombe State Bureau of Statistics (GBS) in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
According to him, MICS remains one of the most reliable tools available to governments and development partners for tracking progress and shaping interventions in critical sectors such as education, health, maternal care, nutrition, water and sanitation, and child protection.
“MICS provides credible, comprehensive data on households, women and children. These indicators help the government take informed decisions that directly affect policy direction and resource allocation,” Abubakar said.
He explained that although the Bureau is not directly conducting household interviews, it has been actively involved in every phase of the process, from the planning and recruitment of field agents to training, supervision, monitoring, and quality assurance, ensuring that global data collection standards are strictly followed.
The Acting Statistician-General noted that the survey is conducted every five years and covers data collection, analysis, validation and dissemination.
He recalled that the previous round took place between 2021 and 2022, while the current exercise is already underway and will provide updated benchmarks to measure progress achieved since the last cycle.
Abubakar revealed that findings from earlier MICS reports had already shaped major government actions in Gombe, particularly increased investments in education and healthcare infrastructure.
He cited the construction of maternity centers across the state’s 11 local government areas as one of the outcomes of data-driven policy decisions.
On the composition of the field teams, he said women form the bulk of enumerators to address cultural sensitivities and ensure better access to female respondents in households.
The teams were drawn from key institutions, including the Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Education, State Universal Basic Education Board, Primary Health Care Development Agency, and the Ministry of Women or Social Affairs.
While acknowledging challenges such as community mistrust, survey fatigue, and some respondents’ expectations of material benefits, Abubakar said sustained sensitisation efforts had improved public cooperation.
These efforts, he added, involved traditional leaders as well as radio and television campaigns and other media engagements.
Also speaking at the event, the North-East Zonal Controller of MICS, Abdullahi Adamu Ningi, described the survey as one of Africa’s most extensive data-gathering exercises.
He noted significant improvements over time, including the use of digital data collection tools and expanded survey modules that now capture information on men and adolescents.
Despite logistical and terrain challenges, Ningi assured stakeholders that the exercise is progressing smoothly and remains on track for timely completion.
With the state government firmly at the center of coordination, officials say the outcome of the current MICS will further strengthen Gombe’s ability to design targeted, sustainable policies that improve the well-being of its people especially women and children.
APC Clears Inuwa Yahaya for Gombe North Senatorial Race
By Auwal Ahmad Umar
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya on Friday scaled through the screening process of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial Screening Committee, officially clearing the way for his bid to represent Gombe North Senatorial District in the forthcoming elections.
The APC Senatorial Screening Committee, chaired by Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, conducted the screening exercise at Plateau House in Abuja.
The exercise featured several sitting governors who sought reelection or contested for senatorial positions on the platform of the ruling APC.
Speaking during the exercise, Professor Yilwatda commended the governors for their contributions to governance and leadership, stressing that the party remained confident in their capacity and track record.
“As a party, we will continue to support all our sitting governors. There is no need to subject you to rigorous screening again, having previously undergone similar processes and served creditably in office,” he said.
The APC chairman further stated that Governor Inuwa Yahaya and other aspirants had met all constitutional and party requirements needed to contest the elections.
“Having satisfied all the necessary requirements, you are hereby requested to take a bow and go,” he added.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s appearance before the screening panel comes amid growing political momentum within the APC following his emergence as the party’s consensus candidate for the Gombe North Senatorial seat.
Political observers believe the governor is entering the contest with significant political influence, administrative experience and a performance record that has strengthened his support base across the senatorial district.
The governor, who has served two terms as governor of Gombe State, is widely credited with infrastructure development, healthcare reform, road construction, and rural development initiatives across the state.
Inuwa Yahaya Defends Gombe Projects, Says Government Focused on Grassroots Development
Committee of Provosts Conference Highlights Reform Agenda Honors Education Leaders
By Auwal Auwal, Gombe
The provost of the Federal College of Education, Gombe, has reiterated the need for strategic reforms in Nigeria’s teacher education system as stakeholders convened for the second Annual Conference of the Committee of Provosts of Colleges of Education.
The conference brought together key policymakers and institutional heads at the National Commission for Colleges of Education headquarters in Abuja to chart a new direction for colleges of education nationwide.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the Gombe-based provost aligned with the conference theme, which focused on integrating skill acquisition and entrepreneurship into teacher education.
He emphasized that colleges of education must transition from conventional academic institutions to innovation-driven centers capable of producing self-reliant graduates.
He noted that embedding vocational competencies alongside academic training would significantly enhance graduate employability and position the sub-sector as a catalyst for economic growth.
The conference also featured high-level participation from the Federal Ministry of Education, with the Minister of State, Suwaiba Said Ahmad, describing the reform agenda as a necessary response to evolving labor market demands. She stressed that aligning education with practical skills remains critical to national development.
In her remarks, the Executive Secretary of the NCCE, Angela Ajala, reinforced the Commission’s commitment to policies that promote entrepreneurship within teacher education. She maintained that colleges of education must be repositioned as engines of innovation and productivity.
The Chairman of the Committee of Provosts, Ali Adamu, described the conference as a strategic platform for advancing reforms and strengthening collaboration across institutions.
A major highlight of the event was the unveiling of a festschrift in honor of former NCCE Executive Secretary Okwelle Paulinus Chijioke, alongside a send-off ceremony recognizing 32 exiting and exited provosts for their contributions to the sector.
For the Provost of the Federal College of Education Gombe, the outcomes of the conference signal a clear shift towards a more responsive and economically relevant teacher education framework, with an emphasis on innovation, skills, and sustainable development.
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