SENATOR UMAR TANKO AL-MAKURA’S LEADERSHIP IN NASARAWA STATE: A DATE WITH HISTORY.
It is not unlikely that posterity will adjudge Senator Umar Tanko Al-Makura as the father of “Modern Nasarawa State” which is currently in the making. Since assuming office as the third civilian governor of the state in May 2011, he has left no one in doubt on his resolve to make a difference on how the state is governed. This, he has done by the provision of infrastructure to facilitate the development of the state, much to the appreciation of majority of the people.
His choice of populism as a guide for governance has endeared Governor Al-Makura to the hearts of the down-trodden people across the state. It is in recognition of this fact that when the then People’s Democratic Party [PDP] – dominated State House of Assembly attempted to impeach him in 2014, the legislators were resisted by all segments of the population in the state. Thus , Governor Al-Makura was not only popularly re-elected for a second term in 2015, but his party the All Peoples Congress(APC), which is a merger of progressive parties, including the Congress for Progressive Change(CPC) the party on which platform he was elected for the first term, won more than half of the seats in the state Assembly. But later on account of the laudable performance of the governor, the APC won coverts from among the legislators who decamped from their parties. Naturally this enabled the government to implement its people-oriented policies and programmes with much ease and little opposition because it now has majority votes in the House.
When the history of Nasarawa State is written, it will certainly be its achievements in the area of infrastructural development that posterity will reckon most with the Al-Makura administration in future. While credit must be given to past administrations, for establishing the state machinery of government, the APC administration under the leadership of Governor Al-Makura has not only consolidated on this, but it has gone ahead to build the physical infrastructure required for rapid progress and development of the state. In other words, the administration has effectively utilized the baton of leadership handed over to it by its predecessors, by laying concrete foundation upon which life would be made meaningful for the people.
It is instructive to note that the administration commenced its development programme with roads construction which is a key infrastructure, and crucial determinant for development of an economy. Under a well- planned urban renewal programme the government constructed strategic network of roads in Lafia the state capital. These roads include the 1.43km Tudun Abdun Kura Street and Abdul Shatu-Adamu Muazu road, the 1.1km Agwai Hotel Junctio- Agwan Nungu, the 4.8km Lafia East- Government House dual carriage Road with spur to Shendam Road, the 1.2km Peoples Bank [Super Cinema]-New Market road, and the 3.5km Tudun Gwandara-Gonar Mallam Sarki road. Others are the 1.2km Awe Street- Makurdi Road, the 3.8 Lafia- Kurikyo roads and drains, the asphalt drains 600metres Treda Street- INEC spurs and drains, the asphalt drained 1.2km Alkali Street, the additional 0.8km drain to Lafia East- Government House. There are also the 10.5km Kwandare Road, and the 1.6km asphalt drained Doma Township road. All these cost billions of naira.
Suddenly Lafia has been transformed into a better capital of a state, from the hitherto condition as a glorified local government headquarters. The asphalt roads and their standard drainage made it possible for a number of streets to be laid out thus giving the city a sense of orderliness and finesse.
Meanwhile residents in the city, many of who benefited from compensation following demolition of part of their houses in the course of the roads construction, utilized the fund they got to renovate the houses, giving them befitting looks, with ascetics in tandem with the modern roads that now adorned the state.
Similar roads network have also been constructed in the two other senatorial zones of the state. In the Northern Zone the roads include the asphalt drained 3.8km Wamba bye pass-Kasimu Idris Road, asphalt drained 1.0km Diamond Bank-GRA-Jos Road in Akwanga, the asphalt drained 4no Wamba Township Road, the 5no Nassarawa Eggon Township asphalt roads and drains-4.2km; while in the Western Senatorial Zone roads constructed include the 5no asphalt drained 3.3km Keffi Township roads and drains, the 2.82km Nassarawa State University roads, and the 3.3km Nasarawa Township asphalt roads and drains.
There is no gainsaying that these network of roads, including traffic lights installed at three strategic junctions in the capital of the state, have greatly eased traffic congestion, thereby facilitates and boosts commercial activities. Indeed all the positive impact arising from the roads construction at the state capital, have to some extent been replicated at the local government headquarters where similar construction have been carried out.
Perhaps the decision of the Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura administration to prioritize and emphasize roads projects is in agreement with a popular Chinese adage which says that, civilization (development) follows the road. This is apparent from the ongoing construction of rural roads, and culverts which the government has also embarked upon to complement what had been done at the urban cities. Obviously the objective is to make the rural areas easily accessible. Thus boosting agriculture which is the major occupation of the rural dwellers. The rehabilitation and construction of the rural roads will equally enable the government to provide the rural dwellers with social amenities and services with much ease thereby improving their living condition.
In an apparent move to complement the services or functions of the roads network the government has constructed four modern markets in Lafia, Akwanga, Keffi, and Karu, as well as an additional ultra-modern market in Lafia being the state capital, all totalling Three Billion, Six Hundred Million Naira (N3.6bn).The facilities in these markets include lock-up and open shops, warehouses, cold rooms, commercial banks, police out-ports, fire service, boreholes, restaurants, and administrative blocks. The Lafia ultra- modern market also has a clinic. There are also livestock sale points and motor parks at the Karu and Akwanga markets.
Besides a population that is predominantly farmers, Nasarawa State equally has a nascent enterprising commercial class that requires support. These markets will no doubt serve as incentive to attract businessmen from other parts of the country into the state thereby enabling the locals to share and gain experience in entrepreneurship. Thus it is noteworthy that these markets are evenly spread across the three senatorial zones of the state to ensure fair, and participation of businessmen from all parts of the state. Surely the quality and standard of these markets are such that in no distant future, Nasrawa State will be transformed from a civil service state to a commercial hub, to be reckoned with nationally. Indeed given its abundant natural resources, and relative peace, the state has bright prospects of becoming a major industrial base in Nigeria.
It is in this regard, that the multi-million Naira Cargo Airport in Lafia which is being constructed by the state government, will be better appreciated. Certainly history is beckoning on Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura as the one leader who laid the solid foundation for an industrially prosperous Nasarawa State.
Salihu Abdullahi Osuko
(Garkuwan Giza)
Media Aide To Distinguished People’s Senator Umar Tanko Almakura.
