Impressed by the success of its youth empowerment and transformation scheme, the Gombe State government has said that it is targeting over 30,000 youths to empower them for positive development.

It will do all within its limits to ensure that the era of youth restiveness was over, it said.

The state commissioner for information, Rev. Habu Dawaki, stated this yesterday when he led a delegation on a courtesy call on LEADERSHIP Newspapers in Abuja. The resounding success of the scheme, he said, has seen numerous youths yearning to be absorbed into the next phase of the programme.

He revealed that about 330 youths in the state have been sent to the Leadership Trainning Institute in Shere Hills, Jos, while another 320 were undergoing skills acquisition training in the state and some parts of the country.

Dawaki, who paid glowing tributes to the leadership qualities of the Gombe State governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, said under the visionary leadership of the governor, Gombe State has witnessed massive transformation under a year of Dankwambo's governance of the state.

"We are here to strengthen the relationship between us and LEADERSHIP as appreciated by the governor whose efforts in office in the past year in office has been well represented and appreciated by all. There has been lots of transformation in the last one year as the developmental strides of the government has not only been exceptional but indeed historic.

"We are lucky to have a result-oriented and vision-purposeful governor whose financial background has further contributed in the excellent utilization of resources as is reflective in our developmental strides, especially in the education sector where a revolution is gradually taking place," Dawaki said.

He revealed that more than 21 road projects worth about N25 billion were ongoing across the state along with several water projects. He said there was hardly any facet of the economy that is not being attended to in Gombe State, saying he was optimistic that, after the governor's first year in office, Gombe State would be a haven, given the calm atmosphere that is prevailing in the state despite the pathetic security challenges in the country.

Receiving the delegation, the group managing director of LEADERSHIP Newspapers, Mr Azubuike Ishiekwene, thanked the commissioner for his visit, noting that LEADERSHIP would continue to live up to the expectations of its readers and support well-meaning partners, especially in the drive to build the nation.

Those who accompanied the commissioner on the visit included Alh. Saidu Baba Gadam, Bello Garba Zannuwa, Joshua Gande and Alh Murta Bello all of the Gombe State Ministry of Information.