After turning Nasarawa state into a model of good governance and infrastructural development in Nigeria as governor for 8 years, the people of Nasarawa south senatorial district pushed him forward in 2019 as a lawmaker representing the zone. MUAZU ABARI writes on the lawmaker and his representation in the Red Chamber.
It is on record that the founding fathers of Nasarawa state, despite their differences, came together to cause the creation of the state with very good intention. It was one feat that led to the freedom of their people from many years of exploitation, domination, suppression and above all, creating a sense of belonging in governance.
And to put it mildly, since its creation on 1st October 1996, Nasarawa state has not be too lucky in terms of good leadership that would meet the yearnings and aspirations of its citizens and vision of its founding fathers. But in the buildup to the 2011 elections, a ray of hope shone on the people, with Umaru Tanko Almakura coming on board as the third executive governor of the state.
Breaking the barrier
Upon assumption of office, Al-Makura promised to invest massively in the infrastructural development of the state and leave it better than he met it, as encapsulated in his inaugural speech titled “A fresh start and a new deal”
In the historic address, he said: “Let it be said that when the modern history of our state is to be written, that when we were tried and tested, we were not found wanting in moral fiber, that we did not falter or even flinch, and when we finally took our exit, we left Nasarawa State in a far better form and shape than we found it, or than anyone had ever imagined.”
With a commitment to his people despite huge and frightening debt profile and decayed infrastructure, Almakura who inherited a completely grounded state with no single asphalt road, swung into action to actualise his mission and vision for the people, and ultimately break the barrier to development of the state. For him, the people are always first.
He railroaded into the state massive investments in infrastructure with the construction of access, rural and urban roads with dual carriage ways and street lights across the state, thus opening the state to a flurry of economic activities and prosperity.
The hitherto dusty Lafia, the state capital, suddenly moved from the status of being a glorified local government headquarters, and suddenly wore a new look befitting of a state capital. Beside creating jobs for the local populace, the new network of roads was complimented with traffic and street lights at designated points to regulate human and vehicular movements.
Same could be said of the education sector which was in a state of coma, with the gates of all the tertiary institutions in the state under locks and keys, opened for normal academic activities. This is aside the massive establishment, renovation and rehabilitation of schools across the state.
For the first time in the history of the state, storey buildings with world class facilities were built as primary schools known as Taal model schools in all the 13 local government areas in addition to a brand new world standard special school for the disabled, established in the 3 senatorial districts of Lafia, Keffi and Akwanga, as well as a brand new school of nursing and midwifery.
Besides extending the infrastructure gesture of a 3-storey hostel accommodation each to Nasarawa State University Keffi, the State Polytechnic in Lafia, College of Education Akwanga, College of Agriculture Lafia and Federal University Lafia as well as a new command secondary school among others, the health sector also witnessed massive transformation through payment of salary arrears and implementation of new salary structures for health workers.
The administration also made some impact in the health sector through the introduction of free medical service to pregnant women and children under 5 years among several other reforms. Same can be said in the areas of availability of potable water, improvement in power supply, revitalisation of the transport sector and construction of new modern markets across the state, fire service outlets, and Lafia international cargo airport. All these and several other achievements, in Al-Makura’s eight years of leadership. Little wonder, the ordinary people on the street named him the architect of modern Nasarawa state.
Sule’s emergence
And considering the trust people of the state have in him, it was not difficult to get them a successor in Engineer A.A Sule, who is fast stepping into the shoes of his predecessor in office by taking it up from where the immediate past administration stopped. Apart from the people embracing Sule as a worthy successor, Al-Makura was also rewarded with more jobs as lawmaker representing Nasarawa South in the National Assembly.
Empowerment
Within three months after his election, the former governor had his empowerment programme with women and youth becoming proud owners of grinding and sewing machines, power generating sets and other empowerment tools to arrest poverty and unemployment. It is on record too that the second and third class traditional rulers in the zone as well as some community leaders, also benefited from another set of power generating sets doled out by the lawmakers.
Legislative passion
As lawmaker, he carried on with the passion of service and this evident in the three years he has represented his people in the Red Chamber, especially in the areas of legislative business, attracting federal presence, live-saving interventions and projects executions among others.
His vibrancy, oratory and power of suasion coupled with brilliant contributions on the floor of the red chamber are some qualities that endear him to his colleagues and those that also matter in government. All these play a vital role in his effort at attracting various projects and interventions from federal government’s ministries, departments and agencies.
Similarly, the lawmaker makes input into bills and motions that add value to the socio-economic lives of his people and deepening democracy in Nigeria.
This, he achieves, by leveraging his past legislative experience when he served in the House of Representatives in the Second Republic. Some of the motions and bills he sponsored include fire arms control bill, Federal University Lafia Teaching Bill which have been passed into law, and the mining sector reform bill aimed at unbundling the sector in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s diversification policy currently awaiting third reading.
More passion for infrastructure
And as a lawmaker, the former governor still carries on with his penchant for infrastructure as he constructed and rehabilitated so many urban and rural roads in all the 5 local governments of the southern zone. Some of the roads are construction of rural access road at Shabu, provision of road infrastructures in mining communities from Ashige-Ugah-Fadaman Bauna in Lafia local government area, provision of road infrastructure in mining communities from Agyaragu to Kwarra in Keana local government area of the state.
Other mining communities enjoying similar road infrastructure include Obi-Ikposogye- Assakio in Obi local government area, Kanje-Jankwa in Awe local government area, Idadu-Agbashi in Doma local government area, as well as roads and drainages along orphanage home to link GT bank and Jos road in Lafia local government area.
Also to his credit in the last three years as his people’s representative are construction of township road with surface dressing in Awe, Daddare, Agyaragu to Kwarra town and provision of community infrastructure around the Emir’s Palace in Lafia among several others.
Improving education
In the area of education, Senator Al-Makura embarked on constructions of classrooms, renovations of schools and distributions of educational materials among other educational supports to schools across his senatorial district. Some of the beneficiaries include Special School for the Disabled, Danka Primary School near Kwandare,Gidan Sule Primary School Kadarko and Asha primary school Azara among many others.
Similarly, distribution of transformers, integrated street lights, sinking f boreholes and other infrastructures among various communities are also some of the democracy dividends of the former governor. The health and agricultural needs of the people also received deserving attention across the senatorial district.
The lawmaker will also be remembered for his philanthropy, particularly during the COVID-19 period when he reached out to the vulnerable in the society, giving them palliatives to all the five local government areas in the zone.
All these put him in good stead for another term which was overwhelmingly endorsed by party members who were impressed with the quality service the former governor is rendering as a lawmaker.
An All Progressives Congress(APC) member who simply gave his name as Abdul summed it up thus: “Senator Al-Makura’s quality representation is one like no other. He cherishes his people’s wellbeing and that explains why as a mark of gratitude, the people unanimously asked him to return for another four years, knowing fully well what we stand to benefit as people.”
