Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the commencement of degree programs at the Federal College of Education (Technical) Gombe.

Ismaila Uba Misilli, Director-General (Press Affairs) Government House Gombe, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

The governor described the approval as a significant milestone in expanding the institution’s capacity to train future professionals.

He made this remark when he received the Governing Council and Management of the College during a courtesy visit to the Government House, Gombe.

Governor Yahaya emphasised the importance of equipping Nigeria’s youthful population with the right education and skills to drive national development.

“We have the numbers; about 65% of our population are youths under the age of 30. If given the necessary training and empowerment, they will develop the country and reduce our reliance on foreign nations for skilled labour,” he stated.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting education at all levels, citing the establishment of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences at Gombe State University’s Dukku campus and ongoing collaborations with Michigan University to establish a Faculty of Agriculture.

He directed the Commissioner for Higher Education to engage with the council to identify priority areas for intervention and assured that his administration is ready to support the college and give it the necessary push to improve and expand its impact.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr. Lazarus Gaza, praised Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s enormous investment in education across all levels and his support for federal tertiary institutions in the state.

He described the governor as a “teacher-friendly governor” and commended his initiative of building mega schools in each senatorial district.

The Provost of the College, Professor Ali Adamu, mni, expressed the college’s willingness to partner with the state government in vocational skills training, particularly for the state’s teeming youth.