By Vasty Bala Jonah, Gombe

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has assured residents of Gombe State that it will work closely with the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDCO) to address the challenges faced by electricity consumers in the state.

At a town hall meeting held at Abmar Hall Gombe on Thursday, NERC’s Assistant General Manager for Consumer Affairs, Regina Osogo, stated that the commission is committed to receiving complaints from consumers, highlighting the processes for lodging concerns about JEDCO’s services.

Engr. Hamisu Jigawa, JEDCO’s Chief Technical Officer in Gombe, urged customers to help protect the company’s equipment in their communities from vandalism to prevent power outages.

He promised that JEDCO will ensure every household is metered with prepaid meters.

Some consumers at the event called on JEDCO to improve its services and strengthen its relationship with communities in the state.

The town hall meeting was organized by NERC to engage with electricity consumers in Gombe State and address their concerns.

By Yunusa Isa, Gombe

The State Executive Council of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Gombe State has held an emergency meeting following Hon Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki’s resignation from the party.

Speaking during the meeting in Gombe, the state party chairman, Hon. Barrister Rambi Ibrahim Ayala, expressed dismay over the new development. He maintained that the state party stakeholders did everything possible to retain the party leader, but he personally decided to leave.

While reading through Mailantarki’s letter of resignation, Barrister Rambi appreciated the former NNPP leader for his immense contributions during his stay in the party.

The state party chair, however, said, “Our doors are always wide open for our former leader whenever he decides to rejoin the NNPP. We are very much ready to welcome him back to our fold.”

While encouraging members and officials on the party ideals, Barrister Rambi maintained, “We remain confident and determined to continue our struggle to emancipate and bring about positive change to our people.”

He appealed to all NNPP members in the state not to demoralize, insult, or speak badly of the former leader. He said, “Though he is no longer with us, we still respect him. As responsible comrades, let’s not spread negativity about him, please. In his letter, he didn’t accuse us of any wrongdoing. Rather, he commended and appreciated the opportunity and support we accorded him during his stay in the NNPP.”

Barrister Rambi charged the party executive at all levels to brace up and woo more members for the party. He noted that their commitment would make NNPP the most active party in Gombe State, ready to seize power come 2027.

Other members who spoke during the emergency meeting, including the party’s Financial Secretary Ibrahim Umar Babangida, Zonal Vice Chairman Gombe North Hon Sa’idu Baba Gombe, and Welfare Secretary Kabiru Muhammad Puma among others, all renewed their commitment to NNPP. They assured everyone that the new development would not discourage them but inspire them more for success.

They emphasized unity, commitment, and perseverance to keep Gombe NNPP flying on the trajectories of its national leader, Engineer Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

While appealing to the state party chairman to carry everyone along, the stakeholders commended his moral and financial commitment to NNPP in Gombe State.

They also advised on early scouting and identification of responsible candidates at various levels to make NNPP more vibrant and inclusive before 2027.

Mailantarki was the NNPP gubernatorial flag bearer in the 2023 General Elections in Gombe State.

By Yunusa Isa, Gombe

The need for Gombe People to respect one another’s belief, strengthen human rights and remain brothers keepers has been stressed.

The encouragement was given by the lead resource person Dr Obadiah Samuel from University of Jos, during a stakeholder consultative meeting on human rights and religious tolerance, organized by Tekan Peace Desk in Gombe.

Presenting a paper titled “Understanding Religious Intolerance and Its Effects on Human Rights Protection” and another on “Strategies for Creating Safe Space for Human Rights Protection”, Obadiah said religious tolerance has to do with respecting other people’s beliefs and avoiding anything that could make them intimidated.

While encouraging people of the state to remain brothers keepers, the resource person maintained that religious tolerance bring about peace, social cohesion and national development.

On human rights, Dr Obadiah said national, regional and international treaties recognized right to life and right to religious belief amongst others for every human being, maintaining that it is a duty on individuals and states to recognize and safeguard same.

He urged participants to become advocates of peace by reaching the unreached, to step down the knowledge acquired during the meeting.

Some participants at the meeting Lami Andrew and Ali Alola Alfinti, identified ignorance, poverty, political sentiments and extremism as major factors responsible for religious intolerance in the state.

They however highlighted love, education, awareness creation, understanding for one another and fight against poverty as panacea to religious intolerance and human rights violations.

They assured to step down the knowledge to grassroots.

Tekan Peace Desk with support from Brot and European Union is implementing a project ‘Faith for Peace’ in six communities; two each in Kwami, Yamaltu Deba and Ɓillliri local government areas of Gombe State.

The project focuses on empowering local actors to promote peace building, human rights, democracy and religious tolerance in Nigeria.

Participants at the meeting cut across community, religious and civil society organizations, media outfits, government & security agencies as well as human rights activists.