October 1- 2014, marked not only 54th Nigeria’s independence anniversary but also the 18th 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 clamors 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 two 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. The desire for self-determination, sustainable development, economic empowerment and social cohesion were the stimulus that impelled our founding fathers to struggle and tussle for the creation of the State….Allah ya Gafartawa General Abacha.
In the words of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa On 1st Oct, 1960 he said…Today is Independence Day. The first of October 1960 is a date to which for two years every Nigerian has been eagerly looking forward. At last, our great day has arrived, and Nigeria is now indeed an independent sovereign nation, Words cannot adequately express my joy and pride at being the Nigerian citizen privileged to accept from Her Royal Highness these Constitutional Instruments which are the symbols of Nigeria’s Independence. It is a unique privilege which I shall remember for ever, and it gives me strength and courage as I dedicate my life to the service of our country”
The Balewa’s quotation revealed the dreams of our founding fathers not only about Nigeria’s independence but also its relates to Nasarawa’s independence from plateau state. Since its creation 18 years ago, Nasarawa State remains one of the most underdeveloped and infrastructurally backward in Nigeria. It is crippled by poor development initiatives, 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 18th 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.
In Nasarawa state, this year anniversary provides us yet another opportunity for sober reflection. This is because at 18 our dear state is still grappling with numerous development challenges such as lack of industries that would provide youth with job opportunities, over dependent on state civil services, poverty due to salary-based economy system and myriads communal clashes.
As part of the perils, 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.
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
It is sad to observe that, eighteen years after our existence as a State, we are yet to realize the development objectives of ‘The Project Nasarawa’. The hopes and, indeed, aspirations of the people of Nasarawa State have remained a mirage even after more than a decade of statehood with putrefied infrastructures, collapse in the healthcare system, poor educational facilities, low morale in the public service and, above all, a diminutive development.
We began to see prospects and light at the end of the tunnel when Umar Tanko Al-Makura took over the leadership of Nasarawa State in May 2011. Al-makura inherited a state faced with several long- standing challenges.
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, human development, service delivery and system strengthening
Today, Al-Makura an entrepreneur magnate has worked the talked 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
Gov Al-Makura 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. He has set-in machinery in place towards addressing the numerous challenges through the re-engineering of the tax collection processes, urban renewal projects, 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.
Al-Makura unpretentious political will was also exhibited in the areas payment of counterpart funds in UBEC, MDGs and youth empowerment. In pursuance of sustainable human development goals. Al-Makura has approved the establishment of Nasarawa State Youth Empowerment Scheme – NAYES, 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. NAYES has trained 1470 youth as Nasarawa Marshals. In addition, over three hundred KEKE TAAL were distributed to youth as part of youth empowerment scheme. One thousand youth were trained on various skills acquisitions programs in Relevant Technology Centers in Wamba, Lafia, Doma and Nasarawa in partnership with ITF kits worth 10,000,000 – Ten million naira were given to the beneficiaries while another batch of 2000 youth are still receiving training at relevant technology centers.
Finally, I commend all our former Governors for playing their roles in building Nasarawa state and Gov Al-Makura for his giant stride in transforming Nasarawa state. Lets continue to support TA’AL’s Administration in its determination to improve the living condition of our people. Much still need to be done to realize our development objectives of Project Nasarawa. Our hands must be on deck to adequately, effectively and efficiently face the task of building the State for the benefit of all. I, call on all the key stakeholders to be part of the ‘PROJECT NASARAWA’ for the purpose of having the Nasarawa State of our dream.
Murtala Adogi Mohammed
PhD Researcher – Rural Poverty, Natural Resources Conflict and Management
University Of Port Harcourt, River State Nigeria.
mamurtala@gmail.com
*Murtala Adogi Mohammed*, BSc, Ed (Zaria), MSc.(Aberdeen, UK), MDS (Bayero, Kano)
PhD Researcher- Rural Land Use and Rural Development (Specializing on Rural Poverty and Natural Resources Management) Department of Geography and Environment Management University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria +234(0)8061546680 www.murtalaadogi.wordpress.com Skype Add: mamurtala Facebook: www.facebook.com/murtalaadogim Twitter: @mamurtala About Me: http://murtalaadogi.wordpress.com/about/ LinkedIn:http://ng.linkedin.com/pub/murtala-adogi-mohammed/34/b59/b87
….. “A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received” (Albert Einstein)..
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