As Nigerians look forward to May 29 handing over day when power will transit from some incumbent governors to the newly elected ones, expectations are very high.
In Nasarawa State, the story is the same owing to the fact that a new governor, Eng. Abdullahi Alhaji Sule, elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), will take over the mantle of leadership, and much is expected of him.
Sule may have won the election, but running the state will not be a tea party, considering the humongous challenges facing the state.
Of course, the outgoing governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, has tried his possible best in uplifting the status of Lafia, to a befitting state capital and he constructed roads in all the 13 local government headquarters.
There are still a number of projects and infrastructural developments begging for attention.
It is in fact inexplicable that ‘Nasarawa On The Move’ public transport which in the past generated ample revenue for the state was incapacitated; “the incoming governor must revive the once most vibrant transport company in the country”, another indigine of the state said .
The incoming governor has also been tasked to ensure each of his yet to be appointed commissioners work out his or her schedule with the governor with an inbuilt targeting system that must be reported upon weekly or bi-weekly at the state executive council meeting.
This, it was gathered would replace the old system in which the body was essentially a contract awarding entity. “All government officials would now become productive as they have to contribute to their sectoral targets”, he said.
While speaking further, he noted that that: :”The governor-elect should also embrace development from all its sides and not just structures alone, to move the state to the next level. He should also prepare the stage for human capital development, as well as the security and welfare of the people.
“The new governor should prioritised agriculture bearing in mind that chunk of the population of the state are farmers. This would also contribute to the economic potentials and gross domestic income of the state”,
Bearing in mind that Nasarawa state is multi-lingual state, the governor-elect must also think of organising annual cultural festivals that would bring all the tribes in the state together, so as to unite the people.
Apart from being home of solid minerals, the state is blessed with various cultures and tourisms that remained untapped, efforts must be geared towards harnessing this potentials by the incoming administration.
Nasarawa state, like other states in the country has a vibrant teeming population of youths. The incoming government needs to harness the potential of these youths in the areas of agriculture, sports, ICT, entertainment and more through capacity building schemes that will re-direct and re-focus their vibrancy into social economic productivity.
The governor has also tried his best in the last eight years to initiate policies and programmes that have direct impact on the citizens of the state. But more of such are expected of the incoming governor.
Al-makura tried to write his name in the sand of time as the architect of modern Nasarawa State, in terms of infrastructural development, but the new governor needs to do more because government is a continuum.
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Since government is a continous process, the people of Nasarawa state expect the incoming governor to translate his campaign promises to reality to fast track developments in the state. It will be recalled however that Sule, has vowed to be the builder of modern Nasarawa by sustaining the legacies of the incumbent.
During his campaign, Sule stated that: “My vision is anchored on industrialisation of Nasarawa state, to make it the industrial and economic hub of the North Central. We are convinced that this policy is capable of addressing the challenges of unemployment of youths and women, wealth creation and boosting economic activities in the state”.
“My government would sustain the developmental initiatives of the Governor Umaru Al-makura-led administration, if given the opportunity in 2019.”
He also said the welfare of people would be considered, stressing that: “The essence of leadership is to provide solution to challenges of the led and to chart a realistic service vision for the betterment of the people.”
He also promised to sustain the existing partnership of the state government with agro-business companies like Olam Nigeria Ltd and Dangote Group, to establish integrated sugar refinery in Tunga, Awe local government area of the state.
This, the governor-elect said, will in turn employ about 30,000 people directly while about 100,000 people would be employed indirectly
Given his background in the private sector, Sule promised to leverage on the networth of investors both local and foreign so as to attract their capital for the industrialisation of the state.
Shortly after he was declared winner of the governorship election, he promised to run an inclusive government that will recognise the opposition irrespective of ethnic, religious and political differences.
According to him, “the development of the state in which our campaigns were anchored on should be channelled collectively into a common pool for the overall development of our dear Nasarawa since all cannot be governor at the same time”.
“As a people, I want to call on all and sundry to be collectively engaged and participate fully in our government towards more infrastructural development and drive the industrialisation of the state”
Political pundits close to the governor-elect noted that he is not only an independent minded-person, but also an excellent team player who would bring both his wealth of experience and worldwide connections to bear for the benefit of the state and its people.
As the governor-elect takes over the mantle of leadership in a few weeks time, pundits are of the view that it is time to undertake massive developments that can lift at least half of the state from rural status.
To them, the people of the state need real development which in the past has not been consciously pursued in an empirical manner.
The out going governor, it was gathered, has tried his best in uplifting the status of the state capital Lafia, but then the new governor has been challenged to lead the growth of the city by building infrastructure in other areas that can decongest the city and allow for expansion.
He has also been taken to task to ensure a robust internally generated revenue system as a way of improving the revenue base of the state. “The revenue framework must consist of professionals in the industry and not ‘empty-loyalists’ who helped to beat-up opposition politicians during campaigns”, an indigine of the state said.
“This presupposes that there would be accountability which must flow from the open government and accountability of the governor and his cabinet”, he added.
