October 1, marked not only Nigeria’s independence day but also the 17th anniversary of the creation of Nasarawa State. The area, which is today known as Nasarawa State, was formerly a geopolitical unit under Benue and Plateau Provinces of Northern Nigeria and later under Plateau State. With the clamour for the creation of more states in the country. Nasarawa State was eventually carved out of Plateau State by the General Sani Abacha-led military government, on October 1, 1996. That is great! Just three years away from 20th Years anniversary- Allah ya nuna mana. The creation of the State was indeed, a significant development for its diverse citizens. This is because it brought together people who shared common aspirations and had co-existed peacefully for decades, even though with pockets of tribal and natural resources conflicts here and there which are also characteristic of developing democracy
Since its creation 17 years ago, Nasarawa State remains one of the most underdeveloped and technologically backward in Nigeria. It is crippled by poor infrastructural development, which can be attributed to the long years of neglect, domination and marginalization it experienced when it was a part of the geographical areas that constituted the old Plateau State.
Nasarawa state is one of the states with prodigious investment climate and potentials for economic development. Several of its untapped resources now offer very good potentials for economically viable and technically feasible industrial and agricultural development projects. It has a wide range of solid minerals and a variety of crops produced within the state.
Administrators and Governors governed Nasarawa state since October 1st, 1996 when it was split from Plateau. In ascending manner, the state was ruled by Abdullahi Ibrahim -Administrator 7 October 1996 to 6 August 1998 (Military), Bala Mande- Administrator 6 August 1998 to 29 May 1999 (Military), Abdullahi Adamu – Governor, 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007 PDP, Aliyu Akwe Doma -Governor 29 May 2007 to May 2011 PDP and now we have Governor U.T. Almakura as the 6th Governor of the state 2011 to date APC.
After 17th years of independent from Plateau state, Biologically Nasarawa state is still a teenager – struggling to meet up with a heaps of development challenges- that usually lead the failure of the past government development plan. Some of the causes of failure of past development efforts are high cost of Governance, poor revenue base, weak public institutions and weak human resource capacity, low levels of transparency in government business high level of corruption, heavy external and domestic debt burden and poor infrastructures.
As part of the challenges, we can recall that when Aliyu Akwe Doma took over from Abdullahi Adamu in 2007, there was also a huge backlog of unpaid staff salaries and allowances. Government was virtually at a standstill, and it was understood that bank loans had to be obtained to keep government afloat. We also learnt that Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma inherited liabilities of over N20 billion from previous administrations and had to settle over 50-70% of this, in the tradition of maintaining continuity of government. The same thing Al-Makura also inherited huge debt from Doma’s administration. I think there is need to holistically review the issues of the state collecting loan from financial institutions except on the condition that the sitting Governor would ensure shifting the paradigm i.e. emphasizing value for money, activity-based and pro-poor budget implementation with comprehensive corruption mitigation strategy in place.
Though, when he assumed office, former Governor Abdullahi Adamu the first democratically elected Governor, a seasoned politician immediately swung into action to fulfill his election promises; his government aimed at giving priority to some vital sectors most especially health and education which he hoped would have a direct bearing on the lives of the ordinary people of the state. His government committed 28 percent of the state’s budget to the education sector.
During the period of his leadership, Nasarawa state witnessed massive establishments including renovations and the upgrading of schools within the length and breadth of the state. The PDP led administration of former Governor Adamu also made strides in the area of healthcare delivery as the government succeeded in establishing general hospitals in all the 13 local government areas of the state.
The emergence of Akwe Doma into the Nasarawa Government House in 2007, saw most people in the state looking forward to his administration with a strong sense of hope and high expectations of a visionary leadership as a veteran bureaucrat. People hoped that Doma would supersede the achievements of his predecessor and introduce new ideas that would make the state compete favourably with its contemporaries However, to the disappointment of most of the people of Nasarawa, the administration did not only nose-dived but also failed to even sustain the vision of its predecessor.
When Doma finally constituted his cabinet after almost one year into office, he announced a strategy, which his administration called 13 Points Agenda. This agenda outlined how Doma’s administration intended to developed certain areas in the state including water supply, education, agriculture, health, industrialization, road constructions, security, employment opportunity, urban and rural renewal, among others. From all indications Doma suffered poverty of ideas on how to deliver the dividends of democracy to the electorate. Instead of focusing on how to fulfill the promises made in his 13 point agenda, he erected many billboards across the length and breadth of the state carrying his portrait with the caption ‘13 point agenda’.
In fact, the PDP government in Nasarawa between 1999 and 2011, employed unmanageable numbers of citizens into the state’s civil service and embarked upon gigantic projects such as the farin ruwa independent power project. They made efforts to industrialize the state through the establishment of some cottage industries such as the fertilizer blending plant in Lafia, a beef-processing factory in Karu, a sack packaging company in Akwanga, among others. However, despite their efforts to industrialize Nasarawa, Adamu and Doma ‘s administrations neglected to develop Lafia, the state capital and pay little attention to management of marginal financial resources also failed to mitigate wastage and corruption
Under the most daunting circumstances, Umar Tanko Al-Makura took over the leadership of Nasarawa State in May 2011. Almakura inherited a state faced with several long- standing challenges also.
However, Al-Makura’s approach to governance continues to raise the hopes and confidence of the people of the state. His administration’s policy focuses on the need to tackle the most pressing developmental challenges besetting the state especially in the area of infrastructure….I think That’s why he has been nick named ‘Mr Infrastructures’
I would recalled vividly on May 29th, 2011 Al-makura said in his inaugural speech …The oath I have just taken marks a fresh start in the life of our State, which in the 14 years since its creation has been held hostage to the folly and excesses of its rulers. That we are in stagnation, even decline and decay is self-evident. We are caught up in a grave moral and ethical crisis. Our State institutions are poorly managed, our infrastructures dilapidated, while our economy is weak – the result of myopia, greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also of our collective failure to demand better from our leaders. He added that …My fellow citizens, today I say to you that the hurdles before us are real, grave and numerous. I know, too, that you and others across the country rightly expect so much from the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and I. I assure you we will overcome the challenges.
Today, Al-Makura an entrepreneur magnate has work the talk by paying billions-naira debt he inherited from the previous administration, urban renewal and prudent management of funds. Al-Makura made a solemn commitment to take a critical look at the issues and usually addresses them appropriately with a view to ensuring justice, equity, fairness and communal harmony in consonance with its administration reform agenda, programme of emancipation and redemption
With a purpose of Redemption Agenda, Gov Almakura has maintained his focus and marched on in his determination to leave Nasarawa state far better place than he met it. Relying on some of his vital assets of humility, civility and inclusivity, the Governor has undertaken the mission of governance with calm and the fear of God and respect for all Nasarawans. His commitment to the Reforms Agenda is yielding positive results, as can be seen clearly all over the state even though with special in the state capital and in addition that is why Mr President was in the state to commissioned some of its projects couple of months ago.
Solid foundations have been laid in agriculture, infrastructure, healthcare, education and rural water and electricity as well as other key areas of the economy. To achieve results, value for money, I think there is need for paradigm shift towards building the confidence of the electorate that yes…democracy works in the systems that enable the voters to feel and see practically the impact of governance.
Democracy thrives when the lives of the people are being touched productively and positively. However, because of the weight of expectations, there is always the tendency for cynics to think that no progress is being made in the state during the last two years of Almakura administration. This is understandable. Nasarawans are extremely hungry for development. We rightfully seek torrential showers, not little drops, of development. Nevertheless, it is said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. Gov Almakura Administration has no doubt recorded giant steps in the drive to make Nasarawa state better place for all, paying the workers minimum wage was good example of Al-Makura’s deeply commitment towards changing the lives of the Nasarawans
From day one, Gov Almakura has set-in machinery in place towards addressing the numerous challenges through the re-engineering of the tax collection processes, land reform through Nasarawa Geographic Information System NAGIS, Prudent management of marginal financial recourses, and development of corruption mitigation strategy working with-in his office. The era of massive looting, assembling of cluster of mediocre and sycophants that they hardly think out of the box in terms of governance system strengthening and service delivery in Nasarawa State is gradually shifting towards a better paradigm.
One thing that you cannot take it away from Gov Al-makura is abundant political will and passion for the transformation of Nasarawa State. There are actionable plan in place to address the issues of weak institutional and staff capacity which is another mammoth challenges affecting governance system strengthening in Nasrawa State. On completion of the reform processes it would definitely improve the outcome of governance such as strategic management approach, leadership skills, change management, helping people to take responsibility and delegation of authority.
Gov Al-Makura unpretentious political will was also exhibited in the areas payment of counterpart funds in UBEC, MDGs and Youth Empowerment projects. In pursuance of sustainable human development goals. Al-makura has approved the establishment of Nasarawa State Youth Empowerment Scheme – NASYES, to facilitate the repositioning of the youth sub-sector – specifically to sustainably increase the access of unemployed youth to entrepreneurial skills and employment opportunities for self-reliance and income security. NASYES has conclude arrangement to re-engage and develop the youth of Nasarawa State into complete citizens in character, competence, confidence, culture, connections and contributions. In addition, over one hundred KEKE TAAL is on the ground to be distributed soon to the teeming youth of Nasarawa State as part of the phase two of the distribution of the KEKE TAAL Scheme. Also about One thousand youth are already receiving training on skills acquisitions in Relevant Technology Centers in Wamba, Lafia, Doma and Nasarawa in partnership with ITF.
Today, for a one to be a real driver of reforms agenda and good governance, it is not enough to simply possess some managerial skills, but it has been proved in practice that success in governance is rarely achievable without solid leadership skills- such as resources management, building trust and confidence in team members.
All these while, what Nasarawa was lacking is just the progressive minded person that would acts like Lee Kwan Yew of Singapore and Deng Xiaoping of China, but this is not too late, Governor Almakura has the potentials and he has mold himself into this stern but progressive minded politician
Murtala Adogi Mohammed
Special Assistant On Youth Empowerment
To Governor Umar Tanko Al-makura
mamurtala@gmail.com
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