By Muhammad Auwal IBRAHIM
THE Gombe state government has updated its website (www.gombestate.gov.ng) with fresh information, three months after The ICIR reported that the website was filled with outdated information.
The ICIR had reported that the website was dormant while it was still showing the picture of Beatrice Iliya as the acting Chief Judge of the state after Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahya’s recent appointment of Justice Muazu Pindiga, as the new acting Chief Judge of the state.
As of the time of the report, the website was also showing the name of Justice Saad as one of the state high court judges, after his retirement months ago.
Also, the website displayed Justice H. A. Barka as a High Court judge months after he had moved to the Court of Appeal.
While the State Government did not make any announcement on the state of COVID-19 in the state, particularly on safety measures being put in place and the number of cases recorded, a recent visit to the website on Wednesday, September 30 revealed that there were fresh updates including those on COVID-19.
“Happy independence day to Nigeria. CORONA VIRUS IS REAL! Please wear a MASK, Stay Safe!” the website now reads.
Unlike in the past, at the bottom of the site, the number of total infected cases (864) and total deaths (25) have been clearly illustrated.
Furthermore, the State Government has also replaced the name of the past acting Chief Judge, Justice Beatrice Iliya, with Justice Muazu Pindiga as the current acting Chief Judge. However, no any other high court justice was included on the page.
In addition to this, the Speaker of the Gombe State House of Assembly was the only one showcased out of the members of the house.
Four fresh, recent news stories have been published in place of the old stories on the website.
The website currently has segments such as weather forcast, Gombe tweets, state parastatals, live streaming, unemployed graduates registration portal, e-learning, payments, and office automation.
However, some pages such as ministries, executive council, deputy governor’s office, demographics, commissioners, past governors and administrators, gallery, government house clinic, including unemployed graduates registration portal, e-learning, payments, and office automation still have nothing under them.
Other pages like speeches, budget, executive orders, laws, were not accessible as of the time of writing this report.
According to a statement signed by Dr. Muazu Shehu, the Director-General, Research, and Documentation, Office of the Executive Governor of Gombe State on September, 30, 2020, the unemployed graduates’ registration portal would be available “on October 2, 2020 onwards….”