Determined to ensure continued provision of basic physical and organisational structures needed for the well-being of his citizens as well as check uncontrolled alienation of communal lands, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state has signed Executive Order No 4 of 2020.
The order is aimed at expanding the radius of the existing urban areas and creating new ones in all the local government areas of the State.
This is in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 3 of the land use act and all other powers enabling him on that behalf.
In the order, cited as the ‘Designation of the Urban Areas in Gombe state, the Governor revoked the earlier designated Urban areas under order No. 1 of 1999 and made the following orders:
“That all the lands within 20 kilometres radius of Gombe Local Government Headquarters is hereby designated as urban area”, Governor Yahaya said.
According to him, “all local government councils headquarters in the state and all the lands within 15 Kilometers radius of the Local government headquarters specified in schedule 1 hereto are hereby designated as urban areas”.
The Governor said “all the land within 10 kilometres of the radius listed in schedule 2 hereto are hereby designated as urban areas”.
The Governor noted that “as from the commencement of this order, it shall not be lawful for any Local Government Council to grant any right of occupancy to any person over any undeveloped land specified in sections 2 and 3 of this order”.
“As from commencement of this order, it shall not be lawful for any person or authority by whatever name called or addressed to sell to any person any undeveloped land specified in sections 2 and 3 of this order”, he further explained.
The Governor said, “the centre from whence to determine the circumference of any radius shall be the palace of the paramount ruler of the area in question”.
He noted that any instrument or agreement purporting to transfer any undeveloped land in contravention of this order or the Act shall be void or of no effect and any party to any such instrument shall be liable for prosecution.
“The designation of Urban Areas Order Number 1 of 1999 is hereby revoked”, the Governor ordered.
According to the order, in addition to the Headquarters of the respective Local Government councils, the newly designated towns are Pindiga, Kashere, Tumu, Gona and Akko Town in Akko; Bambam, Cham and Degri in Balanga; Baganje Tal and Todi in Billiri and Gombe- Abba, Hashidu, Jamari, Malala and Dokoro in Dukku Local Government areas.
Others are Tongo, Ashaka and Ribadu in Funakaye; Ture, Kamo, Awak Dogon Ruwa and Tula in Kaltungo; Bojude, Dukkul, Gadam, Kwami and Komfulata in Kwami Local Government areas.
The rest are Birin Fulani, Birin Bolawa and Barwo; Lapan, Kulishin and Filiya as well as Dadinkowa, Kwadon and Kuri in Nafada, Shongom and Yamaltu Deba Local Government areas respectively.
This Executive order is with effect from the13th of July, 2020.
