Bill Sponsor: Hon. Usman Bello Kumo. Bill Stage : Second Reading
Gombe State has recently seen the establishment of 13 new Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) following a new law signed by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya. The move aims to enhance administrative efficiency at the grassroots level, even as a federal bill—HB.2506—seeks to amend the Nigerian Constitution to create new Local Government Areas (LGAs).
On August 25-26, 2025, Governor Yahaya signed the Local Council Development Areas (Creation and Administration) Bill into law, which has effectively increased the total number of grassroots administrative units in Gombe State from 11 to 24. The creation of these 13 LCDAs allows the state to better manage local development needs while operating under the framework set by the Nigerian Constitution.
The legal basis for this expansion was found in Section 4(7) of the Constitution, which grants State Houses of Assembly the authority to legislate for the effective governance of their regions.
The newly created LCDAs and their respective headquarters are as follows:
- Akko North – Amada
- Akko West – Pindiga
- Balanga South – Bambam
- Billiri West – Taal
- Dukku North – Malala
- Funakaye South – Tongo
- Gombe South – Bolari
- Kaltungo East – Wange
- Kwami West – Bojude
- Nafada South – Birin-Fulani
- Pero-Chonge – Filiya
- Yamaltu East – Dadinkowa
- Yamaltu West – Zambuk
In parallel to Gombe State’s actions, Hon. Usman Bello Kumo and other representatives in the House of Representatives have sponsored HB.2506. This bill aims to amend the Constitution to formally recognize new LGAs in Gombe State, allowing them eligibility for direct federal allocation.
Unlike the state-level LCDAs, which have already been established, the federal bill faces a more rigorous legal process. To elevate these new units to full-fledged LGAs, they must be included in the First Schedule of the Constitution. This necessitates a thorough legislative path outlined in Section 8(5) of the Constitution, which mandates that any alteration to the Constitution requires a Bill for an Act of the National Assembly.
