AL-MAKURA’S RECORDS ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND PEOPLE–ORIENTED PROJECTS AND POLICIES, HE’S STANDS OUT AND HAS OBVIOUSLY OUTSHINED ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS EVER EXISTED BEFORE
Nasarawa state haven’t experienced such a monumental growths and development before the Al-Makura.
The political scenario in my state is on the contrary, rather than engaging in ingenious political endeavours, politicians have resorted to immodest and dishonourable acts of smearing names of people and the government through propaganda and mischief, all in their desperate quest to gain cheap popularity and support from the people of Nasarawa state.It’s unfortunate how some political parties and politicians thinks the only way to get cheap popularity and be seen as a hero is by criticizing and painting the government of the day in a bad light.
Recently, we’ve had cases of such ambitious politicians trying to play the hero to the people. But what they fail to understand is that Nasarawa people are not naive and can not fall for such show-boats. Nasarawa Mirror an online news outlet today 16th May, 2017 published a news where the state chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Nasarawa state, Hon. Francis Orogu is reported to have alleged that Al-Makura-led Government have failed the people, killing all state owned companies inherited from the previous (PDP) administration particularly the Lafia Hotel.
And that the state is loosing chunk of amount of money due to the dysfunctional institutions under Al-Makura-led administration.
Also that the state has lost everything that would generate fund for the state, focusing only on building of feeders roads while workers welfare is relegated to the background. The PDP as a party should be the last group of people to engage in the criticism of any government or political party in this country for lack of performance or lack of good governance because it is the very party responsible for our country’s under-development today. How shameless to assert that the Al-Makura- led government has nothing to offer Nasarawa people, the most annoying is that such accusations is coming from the the very group of heartless vultures that almost brought our state and country to its knees.
Anyways, one cannot be surprise because shamelessness is rooted in the party’s tenets.Recent release by Mr. Francis Orogu was not only laughable but immodest. Before I give you reasons why Governor Al-Makura-led Government does not only have alot to offer but had offered numerous meaningful and lives saving policies and projects and still offering even more aimed at improving and bringing succur to the suffering of the people of Nasarawa state.
I wish to remind Mr. Orogu that we can’t be so quick to forget that;
√ Your party the PDP messed up our state treasury and indebted us to some commercial banks and other financial institution in the past because they couldn’t pay workers salaries.
√ We have not also forgotten how the PDP despite a low wage bill of just N800 million indulged in the habit of borrowing every other month from some commercial banks just to pay salaries of just N 800 million. This financial haemorrhage and fiscal indiscipline led to the cumulative sum of over N37 billion as debt burden on the state government.
√ Do you also think that the good people of Nasarawa state can easily forget how the PDP lure parents and Nasarawa state students into scholarship scam whisking away with students N2500 gulping into millions of Naira? Thanks to a true and compassionate father Governor Al-Makura who came in and wiped the tears of these aggrieved and victims of the PDP scam.
What a shame, stealing the little Nasarawa students had to manage in school.
√ Or you think we can forget in a hurry the 12 years PDP spent looting tax payers funds only to share amongst your hungry degenerate without any meaningful development?
√ Or perhaps you think your usual tricks of incitement and impunity would still work on the Nasarawa people. If that’s what Mr Orogu is still banking on then I think he really need to have a re-think because the people have since wisen-up and are now immune to your deceptive and navel-gazing game.
Now, I urge Mr. Orogu to follow me closely as I give him and people of his school of thought an overwhelming reasons why the people believe Al-Makura has not only offered alot to the development of Nasarawa state but has literally transformed and bring to bare the true meaning of dividends of democracy, the true meaning of good leadership, the true meaning of good governance which has made him the most outstanding Governor Nasarawa state has ever had with unprecedented performance. And my reasons are not far from the fact that, based on the score cards of the five leaders we’ve had since creation of Nasarawa state, Al-Makura’s records especially in the area of developmental and people–oriented projects and policies, he’s stands out and has obviously outshined any other administration that has ever existed before his.
This is because the achievements recorded by the Al-Makura’sadministration in the last 6years is far more than that of the four previous administrations combined. And I stand to debate any adversary who’s got any doubt on my claims.
For the purpose of this piece, we shall be seeing few of these records of achievements by Governor Al-Makura-led Administration in the last 6years. Please follow me while I take you through just part of Al-Makura’s achievements as time and space may not permit me to present them all here.
1. From his assumption of office in May, 2011 even though he started with a grave challenge of lack of existing template, documents or chronological resource that he may fall back to for guidance in the configurations or formulations of his administration’s policies owing to the fact that he was the first and the only Governor under the platform of the defunct CPC as such was left with his initiatives to run the state at the time. many expected him to fail giving his situation at the time, but at the drop of a hat, AlMakura swunged into actions and barely 3 months in office, Governor Al-Makura was one of the first Governors in 2011 to implement the N18,000 minimun wage Act in his state paying N18,900 over and above the stipulated base of N18,000 as provided by the National minimum wage Act. In fact, Nasarawa was among the first three states with the highest paid civil servants salary structure in the country. This implementation of N18,900 increased astronomically the state wage bill from N800 million as inherited from the Aliyu Akwe-Led administration to about N2.4 billion, yet the Governor made sure he pays the workers as at when due for almost 5 years (58 months) until April 2016 when the dwindling revenues affected this trend.
It is worthy to note that even the N800 millions the previous (PDP) administration was paying workers before Al-Makura came on board, was accessed from some commercial banks in the state which gulped to a tune of over N37 billion as loans burdened on the state government. But as a man with great vision and focus, he wasn’t dettered by these huge debt left him instead he made sure he cleared these accumulated N37 billion within 2 years of his first tenure. Though he made sure he halted the practice of financial hemorrhage which was invoke in the PDP administration and he also insisted on strict strategy of fiscal discipline.
Al-Makura’s policies are always people-oriented and his projects implementation is also based on best qualities and standards. To ensure he delivers on his mandate and better the lives of the people of Nasarawa State, Governor Al-Makura made sure meritocracy, and holistic Accountability are his watch words. No wonder he’s been recipient of numerous awards of Excellence and recommendations from numerous organizations within and outside Nigeria.
2. As a lover of the youths and youths productiveness , Governor Al-Makura initiated a platform where youths can be taken off the streets and reduce youths restiveness, via a scheme he created, the Nasarawa state youth empowerment scheme (NAYES). This scheme have so far engaged over 5500 youths of Nasarawa state. Even though this same scheme suffered a setback by some enemies (PDP) of youth development in the state using the Nasarawa state house of assembly which Mr. Orogu was part of at the time to frustrate the Governor’s efforts in engaging our teeming unemployed youths. But as a man determine to serving and helping the people, Al-Makura resorted to using part of his security vote to finance this empowerment scheme.Thanks to the current assembly for passing into law a Bill to establish this empowerment scheme so the NAYES can be funded officially by the Nasarawa state government.
3. As part of Al-Makura’s determination in alleviating poverty and suffering of the people, he purchased and distributed over 100 new tricycle popularly known as “Keke NAPEP” as well as the installations of traffic/street lights to give our state capital a facelift and the beautification it deserves. In the area of basic social amenities Al-Makura have recorded quite a remarkable achievement and deserves more credit than any other government that had existed before his in the state.
4. In terms of road construction, the Al-Makura led administration constructed over 600km roads in the rural areas and the expansion of these roads and in addition the construction of over 200km Asphalt roads, Construction of 3km Asphalt drained Roads in 12 Local Government Area Headquarters. A project that literarily transformed our state capital Lafia from a surbub to a mega city.
5. Still on provision of basic social amenities to the people, governor Al-Makura have an unprecedented record of excellence in the area of health care, where a 360 combined capacity of an ultra-modern hospitals in the three senatorial zones in the state was built. And would be equipped with state of the art health facilities that will be imported from a Germany based company.
6. Still on health matters, His Excellency Governor Al-Makura created a N58 million drug revolving scheme in the state. Part of Al-Makura’s lofty and unprecedented innovation is the hospital on wheel initiative. An idea that tends to ease and give the people in the rural areas a sense of belonging. This hospital on wheel is a mobile hospital manned by medical professionals that goes down to our rural communities to treat special medical cases that cannot be handled by our local clinics in those areas, so that those rural dwellers would not have to transport to the city for treatments.
7. Al-Makura’s love for his people knows no bound as he swiftly swung into action during the LASSA FEVER case in the country by setting up medical and health workers team and immediately order the procurement of LASSA FEVER drugs to prevent outbreak in the state. A move that helped in the prevention of possible outbreak or cases in Nasarawa State.
8. Away from health, the education sector was not left behind. This sector experienced a total revamp right from the primary to the tertiary education level. At primary to secondary level, Governor Al-makura provided a free education programme and has been paying the SSCE NECO examination for all Nasarawa State students to further ease the stress and financial burden parents faces during these registration period for their wards. He did not stop at that level, Governor Al-Makura also revived the long abandoned bursary/scholarship allowances where over 18,762 students at the tertiary institutions, i. e at the University, polytechnics , monotechnics, colleges of education, school of health technology, law schools and colleges of agriculture etc. after 7 years of abandonment by the previous (PDP) administration.This is just to further assist parents and also serve as part of provisions of social welfare to these young citizens of Nasarawa State.
9. Construction of 574 blocks of three classrooms & toilets, Construction of 76 two-storey buildings across the State, Construction of ten 256 bed capacity hostels for Federal University Lafia, Nasarawa State University Keffi, College of Agriculture Lafia, Nasarawa State polytechnic Lafia and College of Education Akwanga, Construction of a 200 Seater lecture theatre at NasarawaState University Keffi, the Construction of 5 modern e-Libraries in Lafia, Akwanga, Keffi, Nassarawa and Karu to improve the research and reading culture of the people of Nasarawa State and Construction/renovation and supply of furniture for 650 classroom block,. Procurement of 70,000 seats for schools, the procured Technical Education Equipment from Singapore, the Established Lafia Institute of Technical Education (LITE) to encourage vocational training and skills acquisition in the state.
10. The Establishment of the Nasarawa Geographical and Information System (NAGIS) is one of Governor Al-Makura’s great achievements and indeed to Nasarawa State as the NAGIS now serves as a model for AGIS of the federal capital and other state across the country. Just recently in 2016 the Governor of Kaduna state Nasir El-Rufai sent a delegation to Nasarawa State to study NAGIS to enable them setup a similar system in Kaduna State, this I consider a great achievement and the NAGIS has transformed the land use and reform system in Nasarawa State and added immensely to the IGR of the state with over 1500% increase in our State.
11. The training of 6000 Youths on various Skills for Self Employment in the 6 Skills Acquisition Centres.
12. Establishment of Rice Incubation Plant in Lafia, the wooing and attracting of Dangote Group to build a N217 Billion Naira Sugar Plantation and Refinery with 40,000 hectares to be cultivated, 482,000 tones of Sugar to be produced, 96mw of electricity be generated for local consumption in the state yet 30,000 jobs to be created for our unemployed youths in the state, and 100,000 farmers and unskilled workers to be employed.
13. A city without a well equipped fire service system would be a city likely to endanger its citizen to disasters both natural and man-made. In that regards, Governor constructed the central modern fire service station in Lafia and the purchase of 5 fire service vehicles to enable the fire service station in the state discharge a better, effective and prompt response services to the citizens of Nasarawa State.
14. In the area of electricity supply to our urban and rural communities, Governor Al-Makura procured and installed over 38 electricity transformers to boost power supply in Lafia and other cities across the state. Nasarawa State under Governor Al-Makura has collaborated with the federal government under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) to develop a 330KVA and 132 KV Power distribution injection transmission sub-station in Lafia. Not forgetting the gigantic Adogi – Assakio Rural Electrificationproject among so many other electricity project by the Al-makura administration.
15. to improve on security of lives and properties in the state, especially the southern senatorial zone of the state. Governor Al-Makura influenced the sighting of Lafia Barracks in this part of the state. the Governor not only provided the land for the construction of the Lafia barrack but also paid full Compensation to those whose lands were affected and also issue certificate of occupancy (C of O) to the military on the 1,100 hectares of land.
16. The Al-Makura administration in its bid to eradicate the hardship that is being faced by communities in getting good and portable water, he awarded a N1billion contract for the rehabilitation of Mada water works. A project that will totally turn around the water plant and transmission pipelines to make sure of a sustainable water supply to Keffi and environs.
17. The construction of the Ta’al Orange Market and many others and bridges across communities in the state which the Al-Makura administration sees as a source of fighting poverty, unemployment, youth restiveness as well as boasting the socio-economic development of the state not to talk of the revenue benefits it will bring to the area and the state at large.
18. Implementation of the cost-cutting policy to enable workers get their full salaries and as at when due. As someone who believes in leadership by example, he slashed his take home by 50%, his deputy by 30% and his commissioners, and all other aides by 20%. Governor Al-Makura in the spirit of fiscal discipline made sure he settled the paris club existing debts he inherited from the PDP administration.
19. Governor Al-Makura recently saves Nasarawa State from the hands of corruption in the civil service by introducing the Treasure Single Account (TSA) in the state and the Bank verification exercise (BVN), which was used to exposed over 1600 ghost workers across the 13 local government and 18 development areas in the state. This same exercise also discovered over N87 million monthly as leakages and N990 million annually. These are just few among numerous achievements of the Al-Makura-led administration as time and space wouldn’t permit me to highlight more. However, with the above achievements of this administration and it’s welfare programs to the people, I wish to pause and ask Mr. Orogu the following questions;
√ Do the PDP have anything close to this remarkable records of achievements to showcase to Nasarawa people?
√ Can you publicly deny all this facts I have presented before you about the Al-Makura-led administration?
√ Do you think you have the moral grounds to criticize who’s done what you and your party couldn’t do for the people in 12 years of your reign?
√ Don’t you feel ashamed lying to the face of the very people you subjected to unbearable pains in the past?
√ Do you really think you can fool the people ever again? All these are questions begging for your answers sir.
Finally, I believe even Mr. Orogu himself will agree with me that these are tangible achievements Governor Al-Makura has offered us in Nasarawa State. Al-Makura has recorded far greater achievements than what we have seen since the birth of our dear state. As a concern citizen of Nasarawa state and a good follower of political trends and activities in the state, I think it is undisputable fact that this administration has far more lofty and better developmental vision and ideologies for Nasarawa people than all the previous administrations combined. We are all witness to the fact that the Lafia hotel you speak about was in a state of comatose when Al-Makura inherited it. Nasarawa state haven’t experienced such a monumental growths and development before the Al-Makura administration. Al-Makura has offered a lots in just 6years than these previous (PDP) administrations. So given the above facts, the question now is, would Mr. Orogu still stand his ground on his narcissism or refrain to tow the path of honour by apologizing and withdrawing his falsehood against this administration. Thank you and God bless Nasarawa State.
Salihu Abdullahi Osuko
(Garkuwan Giza)
Media Aide To Distinguished People’s Senator Umar Tanko Almakura.
