GOVERNMENT OF NASARAWA STATE
SUSTAINING CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT
BEING TEXT OF A SPEECH DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, UMARU TANKO
AL-MAKURA, GOVERNOR OF NASARAWA STATE, ON THE OCCASION OF THE
CELEBRATION OF THE 53RD ANNIVERSARY OF NIGERIA’S INDEPENDENCE AND THE
17TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CREATION OF NASARAWA STATE: LAFIA, TUESDAY,
1ST OCTOBER, 2013
1. His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State;
2. The Honourable Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly;
3. The Honourable Chief Judge of Nasarawa State;
4. Distinguished Senators and Members of the National Assembly present;
5. Principal Officers and Members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly;
6. The Grand Kadi, Shari’a Court of Appeal, Nasarawa State;
7. The President, Customary Court of Appeal, Nasarawa State;
8. His Royal Highness, the Emir of Lafia and Chairman, Nasarawa State
Council of Chiefs;
9. Your Excellencies, former Governors and Deputy Governors;
10. Past and serving members of the Federal Executive Council present;
11. The Chairman, All Progressives Change, Nasarawa State;
12. Chairmen of other political parties present;
13. Their Royal Highnesses, Emirs and Chiefs;
14. Prominent sons and daughters of Nasarawa State;
15. My Lords, spiritual and temporal;
16. Distinguished invited guests;
17. Gentlemen of the press;
18. Ladies and gentlemen.
It is with gratitude to Almighty Allah that I address you today on the
occasion of the 53rd anniversary of Nigeria’s independence and the
17th anniversary of the creation of Nasarawa State.
2. The presence of our distinguished sons and daughters who have made
time to be with us today to celebrate this twin event, is a testimony
to your continuous support and solidarity with this Administration in
its avowals to meet the yearnings and development aspirations of the
people of Nasarawa State.
3. Let me, on behalf of the Government, congratulate the good people
of Nasarawa State and, indeed, all Nigerians on this historic events
which reminds us all of the struggle and eventual attainment of our
collective liberty and self-actualisation. The journey so far has
been herculean, but fruitful.
4. Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, today’s occasion provides
us yet another opportunity for sober reflection. This is because at
fifty-third (53rd) our beloved country, Nigeria is still grappling
with numerous development challenges such as backwardness, insecurity,
scorching poverty and poor leadership. This is against making advances
in science and technology and providing the needed leadership for the
overall development of our dear country.
5. My dear people of Nasarawa State, today also marks the 17th
anniversary of the creation of our dear State. You would all recall
that the desire for self-determination, economic empowerment and
social cohesion were the impetus that propelled our founding fathers
to struggle for the creation of the State.
6. It is, however, sad to observe that, seventeen years after our
existence as a State, we are yet to realize the development objectives
of having a State of our own. The hopes and, indeed, aspirations of
the people of Nasarawa State have remained a mirage even after more
than a decade of statehood with decayed infrastructure, poverty,
collapse in the healthcare system, poor educational facilities, low
morale in the public service and, above all, a stunted development.
7. These scenarios had eroded the confidence of the people in
Government. It is for this reason, that when we came on board, I made
a solemn commitment to turn around the fortunes of the State through
the initiation and implementation of policies, programmes and
executions of projects that have direct bearing to the development
aspirations of the people.
8. Considering our covenant with the people, this Administration
embarked on projects and programmes that are relevant to the yearnings
and aspirations of the people of Nasarawa State in the last 2 years.
In this vein, we commenced the provision of critical infrastructure
across the State. These include the construction of a network of
roads in Lafia, the State capital and other urban centres; improvement
of power and water supply; provision and rehabilitation of healthcare
facilities, provision of rural infrastructure, as well as educational
infrastructure and instructional materials.
9. Government has also given the development of the abundant land
resource of the State priority attention. It is for this reason that
we have vigorously pursued our policy on land Administration through
the recent commissioning of the Nasarawa Geographic Information System
(NAGIS) project. The implementation of this project will, no doubt,
help towards the realisation of our development control drive,
including the urban renewal programme. It will also generate revenue
for Government to finance development projects.
10. In line with our urban renewal initiative, we have since commenced
a deliberate slum upgrade programme and designation of new lay-outs in
all urban and semi-urban centres of the State. Already, we have
constructed standard roads and installed traffic light along major
highways in Lafia, the State capital to check traffic congestion,
instill orderliness and discipline among road users within the
metropolis.
11. The urban renewal programme is also aimed at tackling the waste
management challenges of our urban centres, as well as re-orientating
the people on the imperatives of environmental protection and
conservation.
12. As you are all aware, energy is the fulcrum of industrialisation
and modern development. A growing economy such as ours is faced with
enormous energy requirements in order to boost economic activities and
attract investment. Indeed, we envisage that our policy on enterprise
culture will be substantially driven by the exploitation of our energy
potentials. Accordingly, we are determined to harness our renewable
energy endowments that abound in the State. In this regard, the
Nasarawa Energy Company (NASENCO) has been accorded necessary
enablements to explore and exploit our energy resources for the
benefit of our people.
14. I need to point out that a healthy society is a wealthy society.
This is why our efforts on the healthcare platform are geared towards
addressing the primary and secondary health needs of the people with
emphasis on preventive healthcare delivery. As you are all aware,
this Administration has made huge investment towards the provision of
healthcare facilities in order to create easy access to healthcare
services for our rural dwellers.
15. In this vein, the rehabilitation and upgrading of the General
Hospitals at Awe, Toto and Akwanga have reached advanced stages.
Government, in conjunction with the Association of Local Government in
Nigeria (ALGON), Nasarawa State Chapter has opened a branch of the
Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital at the Millionaires Quarters here in
Lafia in order to decongest the Hospital to ease the difficulties of
waiting in long queues for medical attention. Similarly, plans have
reached advanced stages for the construction of three (3) model
hospitals in Lafia, Akwanga and Nasarawa to serve as referral centres.
16. To sustain our efforts in this direction, Government has also
embarked on the recruitment of more health professionals in order to
increase the strength of our manpower in the health sector at all
levels including the upgrading of primary healthcare centres in our
communities. This is with a view to coping with the growing population
of the State and the attendant pressure on available facilities.
17. As you are all aware, our State is endowed with vast agricultural
potentials with over seventy percent (70%) of our population engaging
in one form of agricultural activity or the other. Considering the
need to introduce new techniques towards the mechanisation of
agricultural practice, Government is exploring avenues for partnership
with foreign investors to boost agricultural production in the State.
In this direction, we are already collaborating with OLAM and the
Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) towards large scale
production and processing of rice and other crops. Government has
also provided fertilizers and other inputs to our farmers as a relief
measure due to the hiccups inherent in the new Federal Government
Growth Enhancement Scheme on the procurement and distribution of
fertilizers directly to farmers.
18. It should be noted that in line with our rural development policy
thrust, Government has procured earth-moving equipment and since
commenced the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of rural
roads in the State. In addition, Government has re-appraised some
abandoned road projects that are vital to the development needs of the
State. We shall soon commence work on these projects to enable their
completion for the benefit of our people.
19. In the education sector, in addition to various interventions, we
have commenced the construction of Ta’al Model Primary and Secondary
Schools across the State, one of which was commissioned by the
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria in July, 2013 in Lafia. The
Ta’al Model Schools are being replicated across the three (3)
Senatorial Districts in our efforts to boost the educational system.
20. Similarly, Government constituted Visitation Panels to all the
four (4) Tertiary Institutions with a view to making them more
functional. Whitepapers on the Reports of the Visitation Panels would
soon be released for appropriate implementation in the interest of
tertiary education in the State.
21. On sports and youth development, this Administration has made
tremendous investment in the sector. Our football team, the Nasarawa
United which was relegated in the Federation Cup, as well as in the
Premier Leagues, is currently in position fourteen (14) of the
National Football League. In the same vein, the Nasarawa Amazons
Football Club won Silver in the just concluded 2013 Nigerian
Federation Cup which took place in Lagos.
22. At this juncture, my dear people of Nasarawa State, let me once
again commend you for your continued support and solidarity with this
Administration in its determination to improve the living condition of
our people. I need to remind you all that much still needs to be
done to realise our development objectives in the State. Our hands
must be on deck to enable us face the task of building the State for
the benefit of all. I, therefore, urge all and sundry to be part of
the construction of the Nasarawa State of our dream.
23. Ladies and gentlemen, I take liberty of this occasion to call on
the good people of Nasarawa State to continue to maintain peace and
harmonious co-existence with one another for the socio-economic
development of our dear State. I need to reiterate that no meaningful
development can take place in an atmosphere of rancour and skirmishes.
24. It is for this reason that the recent onslaught on the people of
Odobu, Obi and Assakio by the outlawed Ombatse militia group when calm
appeared to have been restored, leaves much to be desired in our
commitment towards the maintenance of peace and communal harmony in
our dear State. This renewed violence is not only regrettable but
condemnable in all ramifications. Although, measures have been taken
to stem the tide and normalcy has returned to the affected
communities, let me, however, reiterate the commitment of Government
towards fishing out the perpetrators of the dastardly act with a view
to nipping in the bud the senseless violence which is gradually
becoming a culture in our society.
25. I once again condole the families of those that loss their loved
ones and sympathise with individuals whose property were destroyed in
the renewed violence. I call on all and sundry to sheathe their
swords and embrace peace for the good of all. It is only in this way
that we can achieve meaningful development.
26. It is pertinent to state that in crises situation, women and
children are the most hit. In view of this, the Children Parliament
will be empowered to enable it play vital roles in peace building and
harmonious co-existence. Through the mechanism of this Parliament,
children should be able to preach to their parents the need to live in
peace with one another to enable them realize their lawful aspirations
in life.
27. Ladies and gentlemen, in the spirit of this twin celebration and
based on the powers conferred on me by section 212 sub section 1a – d
of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as
amended) I will today free some inmates serving various Prison terms
in the State. I urge those that will benefit from this prerogative of
mercy to rejoin the people and contribute their quota towards societal
development.
28. On this note, I wish to once again assure the people of Nasarawa
State of my commitment to the provision of selfless and
people-oriented leadership. A leadership that is anchored on the fear
of God, which will also guarantee the much-needed progress, stability
and sustainable development of our beloved State.
29. My dear people of Nasarawa State, the task ahead may be herculean
and daunting, but with your support and by the grace of Almighty
Allah, we shall reach the promise land.
30. I wish you all a hitch-free celebration.
31. Thank you and God bless.
