By Danjuma Attah, Gombe
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, to make more positive impact on the people following the increase in federal allocations to State Governments.
She charged State Governors to channel the funds into impactful projects that will directly benefit citizens and uplift their living standards since the Federal Government has tripled allocations.
Senator Oluremi who lauded Governor Yahaya for revitalizing the health sector and prioritizing the welfare of health workers, particularly praised the Governor for approving the immediate full implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for all health workers effective October 2025.
The two day summit (2nd and 3rd October, 2025), taking place at the International Conference Centre Gombe, saw the First Lady proceeded to Kumo, Akko LGA, shortly after declaring the summit open, to commission the newly established Federal Medical Centre Kumo and the Gombe State School of Nursing and Midwifery, in Gombe.
In his address, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, expressed delight at hosting the First Lady to the first ever Gombe State Health Summit noting that his administration is happy to share it’s journey of transformation in the health sector.
Explaining the CONMESS and CONHESS salary structure implementation in the State, he said, the significant intervention is at a financial cost of Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira monthly, or Three Billion Naira annually.
“It is a direct investment in the welfare of our health workers. In return, I call upon all health workers in Gombe State to match this commitment with renewed dedication, highest standards of productivity, and an unwavering focus on contributing to the health and wellbeing of our people”, he urged.
The Governor went further to explain the administration’s unwavering commitment that has seen the state become a model of effective healthcare reforms adding, “When I assumed office in 2019, I was confronted with a sobering reality in the health sector. The system was weak, underfunded, and overwhelmed”.
He explained that, “Only a mere 3.5% of the state’s total budget was allocated to health, far below from the Abuja Declaration’s target of 15%. Nearly all available health infrastructure were dilapidated, human resource poorly trained, unevenly distributed, while absenteeism was rampant.
“Access to healthcare was largely determined by ability to pay and there was no mechanism to protect the poor and vulnerable thus resulting in low utilization of essential services”, he stated sadly.
After unfolding numerous interventions and reforms undertaken by the administration gulping billions of naira, Governor Inuwa reiterated his Government’s commitment to deliver more.
“We have demonstrated that with vision, commitment and accountability, change is possible. But we are not yet where we need to be. The journey is not just about numbers.
“It is about the woman in Dukku who now delivers her child in a safe, clean facility. It is about the child in Balanga who receives his vaccinations on time. It is about the father in Funakaye who no longer sells his farm just to buy medicine.
“For us, health is not just a social service, it is the foundation for productivity, prosperity and dignity”, Governor Inuwa stated.
End.
