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From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
Gombe state government has intensified efforts to transform informal settlements into properly planned communities, with the government projecting significant improvements in infrastructure, land value and living conditions.
The Executive Chairman of the Gombe State Urban Planning and Development Authority (GOSUPDA), Dr. Kabiru Usman Hassan, speaking during an enlightenment and stakeholder engagement programme at Wuro Liman community in Gombe metropolis, said the initiative was designed to secure residents’ cooperation in formalising the settlement and improving its physical planning.
He said Wuro Liman, which was previously a customary and informal settlement, had begun transitioning into a formal community following the construction of several roads and other infrastructure.
According to him, residents must work with government agencies before subdividing or selling land, particularly in areas on the outskirts of Gombe metropolis where farmland is increasingly being converted into residential plots without official planning approval.
“We don’t want such things to continue happening,” he said, urging other communities to emulate Ngoro Liman’s cooperation with the relevant agencies.
The chairman explained that the engagement was also aimed at educating residents on land-use planning, including the appropriate locations for schools, hospitals and recreational facilities, as well as building setbacks necessary for adequate ventilation and safe development.
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He said the government was also exploring the development of planned layouts in areas along the proposed Northern Bypass corridor, including locations around FCE and Quadran, through engagement with landowners and the application of relevant provisions of the Land Use Act.
The Acting Director-General of the Gombe State Geographic Information Systems (GOGIS), Abubakar Umar El-Nafaty, said the agency’s participation was focused on educating residents about land titling, compliance with planning standards and the benefits of formalising their properties.
El Nefaty said the government approved a new layout for the settlement because its location near the Shehu Abubakar GRA meant leaving it unplanned could distort the wider city layout.
He said formalisation had already increased property values, noting that plots previously sold for about N350,000 to N400,000 could now command N5 million, N10 million or more.
He added that planned infrastructure, including water networks, hospitals, police stations and fire-service facilities, would improve access to essential services and enhance residents’ quality of life.
Both officials said government engagement with the community would remain continuous, stressing that cooperation, rather than unplanned development, was critical to achieving sustainable urban growth in Gombe metropolis.
