By Cliff Stanley
“The price of greatness is responsibility.” Winston Churchill.
The swearing-in of twenty-three commissioners by the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, marks more than a constitutional exercise. It represents the beginning of what may well be the most defining phase of the administration. With the Governor’s tenure entering its closing stretch, history will judge this Executive Council not by the elegance of its inauguration but by the measurable impact it leaves on the lives of the people.
Public office is neither a reward for political loyalty nor a ceremonial title. It is a solemn trust. Every commissioner has become a steward of public resources, public confidence, and the aspirations of over three million citizens of Gombe State.
As former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan wisely observed:
“Good governance is perhaps the single most important factor in eradicating poverty and promoting development.”That observation remains profoundly relevant for Gombe State today.
The Final Lap of Governance
Political scientists often describe the final years of an administration as the “legacy phase.” During this period, governments shift from announcing ambitions to delivering tangible outcomes. Citizens become less interested in promises and increasingly focused on evidence.
This places enormous responsibility on the newly inaugurated commissioners.They have inherited ministries with ongoing projects, budgetary commitments, policy frameworks, and public expectations.
Their mission is not to begin governance from scratch but to accelerate implementation, improve institutional performance, remove bureaucratic bottlenecks, and ensure that every ministry contributes meaningfully to the Governor’s development agenda.
In public administration, continuity is as important as innovation.
From Political Appointees to Public Servants
Every commissioner must remember that loyalty to the Governor should never outweigh loyalty to the Constitution and the people of Gombe State.
The renowned scholar Max Weber, whose work laid the foundation of modern public administration, argued that effective government depends upon professionalism, competence, accountability, and adherence to established institutions rather than personal interests.
This principle remains timeless.
Commissioners must therefore transform themselves from political actors into policy managers, institutional builders, and servants of the public good.
Ministry by Ministry: The Expectations
Each ministry carries responsibilities that directly affect the quality of life of citizens.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security must strengthen food production, support farmers with improved inputs, promote mechanised agriculture, and expand agricultural value chains to improve food security and rural incomes.
The Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning must ensure that budgeting becomes performance-driven, transparent, and aligned with measurable development outcomes rather than routine expenditure.
The Ministry of Education bears perhaps one of the greatest responsibilities. Improving learning outcomes, teacher quality, digital education, school infrastructure, and access to quality education should remain central priorities.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources should explore sustainable energy solutions while responsibly developing the state’s mineral resources to attract investment and create employment.
Environmental sustainability has become a global concern.
The Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources must intensify afforestation, combat desertification, improve waste management, and strengthen climate resilience.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development must deepen fiscal discipline, expand internally generated revenue without overburdening citizens, and ensure prudent management of public finances.
Healthcare remains fundamental to development.
The Ministry of Health must improve primary healthcare delivery, maternal and child health, disease prevention, workforce development, and universal access to affordable healthcare.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development should address urban planning, affordable housing, sanitation, and the orderly growth of Gombe’s expanding cities..
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction must ensure that interventions reach genuinely vulnerable citizens while developing sustainable poverty alleviation strategies that promote economic independence rather than dependency.
Government communication matters immensely.
The Ministry of Information, Strategy and Culture must promote transparency, strengthen public engagement, preserve cultural heritage, and combat misinformation through timely and factual communication.
Security remains indispensable to development.
The Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs should strengthen collaboration with security agencies, traditional institutions, and community stakeholders to maintain peace and social stability.
Justice delayed is justice denied.
The Ministry of Justice must promote access to justice, legal reforms, efficient prosecution, and respect for the rule of law.
The Ministry of Land and Physical Planning should modernise land administration, simplify land documentation, enforce urban planning regulations, and encourage responsible physical development.
Livestock contributes significantly to northern Nigeria’s economy.
The Ministry of Livestock Development should improve animal health, grazing management, livestock markets, dairy production, and conflict prevention between farmers and herders.
Grassroots governance remains essential.
The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development must strengthen local institutions and encourage community participation in development.
The Ministry of Rural Development and Cooperatives should prioritise rural infrastructure, cooperative financing, and economic inclusion for underserved communities.
Science and innovation are no longer optional.
The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation should promote digital transformation, research partnerships, innovation hubs, and technology-driven governance.
Regional cooperation increasingly shapes development.
The Ministry of Special Duties and Regional Integration should coordinate strategic projects while strengthening interstate and regional partnerships.
Economic diversification requires vibrant commerce.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism should improve the business environment, attract investors, promote local industries, and develop Gombe’s tourism potential.
Water remains life itself.
The Ministry of Water Resources must improve access to clean water, expand rural water schemes, and strengthen sustainable water management.
Women remain indispensable drivers of development.
The Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development should strengthen gender inclusion, child protection, women’s economic empowerment, and social welfare programmes.
Infrastructure remains the foundation of economic growth.
The Ministry of Works and Infrastructure must ensure quality roads, public buildings, maintenance culture, and timely completion of projects.
Finally, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development carries perhaps the greatest demographic responsibility. With Nigeria’s youthful population, investment in skills development, entrepreneurship, sports excellence, innovation, and employment opportunities should remain central.
Governance Must Become Results-Oriented
Modern governance is increasingly measured through outcomes rather than activities.
Citizens are no longer impressed merely by commissioning ceremonies, meetings, workshops, or official visits.
They ask simple but profound questions:
Are schools improving?
Are hospitals functioning?
Are roads being completed?
Are jobs being created?
Is poverty declining?
Is government becoming more transparent?
These are the indicators upon which history will evaluate this Executive Council.
As management scholar Peter Drucker famously stated:
“What gets measured gets managed.”
Each ministry should therefore establish measurable performance indicators, publish periodic progress reports, and embrace evidence-based decision-making.
Integrity Remains the Greatest Legacy
Public confidence depends upon integrity.
Corruption, abuse of office, wasteful expenditure, and lack of transparency continue to undermine development across many societies.
The World Bank consistently identifies accountability, transparency, regulatory quality, and government effectiveness among the strongest determinants of sustainable development.
The commissioners therefore have a moral obligation to demonstrate ethical leadership through prudent management of public funds, transparent procurement, respect for due process, and responsiveness to citizens.
The Governor’s Legacy Is Now Collective
As Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya approaches the latter phase of his administration, the responsibility of preserving and strengthening his legacy no longer rests on him alone.
It now rests equally upon every commissioner.
Collectively, they form the engine room of government. Their competence, collaboration, innovation, and commitment will determine whether ongoing reforms are consolidated or allowed to stagnate.
History rarely remembers cabinet meetings.
History remembers outcomes.
The newly inaugurated Executive Council has inherited both an opportunity and a burden.
An opportunity to write their names among transformational public servants.
A burden because expectations are exceptionally high.
The coming months will require courage, discipline, innovation, teamwork, humility, and unwavering commitment to public service.
Ultimately, citizens will not remember how eloquently commissioners spoke during their inauguration ceremonies.
They will remember whether governance improved their farms, schools, hospitals, roads, businesses, water supply, security, and quality of life.
As Abraham Lincoln once reminded public leaders:
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”
For the commissioners of Gombe State, the time for speeches has ended.
The time for service has begun.
Cliff Stanley
Political Scientist /Public theologian
Cliffstanley3@gmail.com
07032826319