 Gana was born in 1943 in Damboa, Borno State.He attended the Yelwa Boarding Senior Primary School, Maiduguri (1956 - 1958), Government College, Zaria, now Barewa College (1959 - 1963) and Okene-Provincial Secondary School (1964 - 1965).He was admitted to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1966 - 1969) where he obtained a degree in electrical engineering.