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Tag: Nasarawa state governor

  • Great burden rests on IGP, says Almakura

    The Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Almakura, on Friday said that the Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu has a substantial burden on his shoulders, especially with the forthcoming general elections in the country.

    He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for finding an indigene of Nassawa State worthy to be the IGP.

    Briefing State House correspondents after jumaat prayer at the Presidential Villa, Al-Makura also described the new police boss as a professional that will give the force a direction and will ensure that all the candidates in the forthcoming elections have level playing field.

    He said, “The IG has a substantial burden on his shoulders, he is coming as new, and within the next one month, he is going to embark on a difficult exercise.

    “But my consolation lies in the fact that he is someone whose commitment and loyalty to service is not in question.

    “I believe that he will bring to bear this pedigree to ensure that he puts the professional focus of his job to satisfy all and sundry, both the government, opposition, and all ordinary men and by sticking to his direction so that whatever decision he takes will be in the best interest everybody and everybody will be convinced.

    “I have no doubt in my mind that he will be an IGP that will be a pride to this nation.” he said

    Al-Makura added “On behalf of myself, government and people of Nasarawa State, I will like to sincerely thank Mr. President for considering a citizen of Nasarawa State worthy of occupying this important position of the IG of the Nigeria Police.

    Read Also: Buhari greets Alabo Gabriel Toby at 80

    “I congratulate him and I believe that the appointment is based on his capacity and professionalism pedigree. Adamu is someone I have known right from childhood in Lafia and all his life in the police force, he has exhibited tremendous amount of professionalism and commitment to his responsibilities.

    “I believe if you look at the places where he has worked before, you be assured that he would have no blemish and I believe that he will bring that excellence that he has gathered over time to ensure that he puts the police in the right state and also give this nation a proper and most professional leadership of the police for everyone to be happy with the police,” he said

    He said that the state has embarked on rigorous and vigorous implementation of ranching and that his government has been able to accommodate most of the herdsmen that were driven away from Benue state.

    “We have been able to accommodate them, right now there has not been any farmers/herdsmen crisis because of the influx of such herdsmen.

    “What is the magic, it is the community-based conflict resolution mechanism and we have decided to accommodate them as people who are bona fide and also made arrangement where there will be interface between the farmers and the herdsmen to the extent that we now have a very comfortable relationship.

    “I can assure you Nasarawa state will remain peaceful for as long as this mechanism exists.” he said.

  • FG plans 100, 000 units mass housing scheme

    The Federal Government has said plans have reached advanced stage to deliver 100, 000 annual affordable homes as social housing scheme in the country.

    Minister of State for Power Works and Housing II, Surv Hassan Zarma disclosed this during inspection of Lafia, National Housing Programme (NHP).

    He said low income earners such as artisans, commercial vehicle operators among others would have access to the proposed affordable houses at sum of N2 million and N5 million for One-bedroom and Three-bedroom flats respectively.

    He explained that the housing project initiated by Office of the Vice President will be supported by the Federal Ministry of Finance but entirely different from the current NHP being executed in the 34 states across the Federation.

    According to the Minister, who is the Chairman, Presidential Initiative on Family Home Fund, government is committed to end housing deficits in the country.

    His words: “The 100, 000 houses is family home fund that is purely social housing programme. The cost will not be as high as this; it will be much more lower.

    “We are thinking of a One-bedroom that will cost N2 million and a Three-bedroom that will cost maximum amount of N5 million.”

    The Minister added that, “It will be as simple as possible, as simple as it can be affordable and as simple as it can adapt to our cultural backgrounds.

    He applauded progress of work at the Lafia NHP stressing that it will be beneficial to the people.

    Earlier, at his visit to the Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, the 22.5MVA Capacitor Bank in Keffi will improve power in the state while the Loko road and Loko bridge of N51 billion are expected to boost social economic well-being of the people and state.

    He noted that the usual movement of people and goods through Jos to the South East will cease and it will be from Nasarawa into Taraba State.

    He pleaded for more lands for second phase for the NHP, stressing that the state will largely benefit from the scheme.

    “As chairman of the Family Homes Fund, directly under the Ministry of Finance, we are appealing for more lands for the project which will benefit your people and Nigerians at large,” he stated.

    Al-Makura, who was represented by his Deputy, Silas Agara, in his remarks, commended the Federal Government for infrastructure projects in the state.

    He described them as an attestation to President Muhammadu Buhari commitment to delivering on his campaign promises.

    He said about 13.8 hectares was donated to the Federal Housing Project and restated his commitment to provide additional land for second phase of the project.

    Read Also:Fashola raises hope on housing scheme

    He noted that over N65 million was paid to communities as compensation for the lands donated to the federal government.

    Speaking on need to consider local contractors, Governor urged the Minister to kindly review the process.

    He emphasised the road projects will change face of the state stressing that the power project will boost business activities as well.

    However, the Governor noted that the Toto – Nasarawa – Abaji road already became “den of kidnappers”, thus need for the federal government to consider the road rehabilitation.

    While explaining that the bulk of Rice consumed by the state comes from farmers at the River Benue shore, he said it would improve livelihood of the people and traders plying the road.

    The governor emphasised that the state deserves more in terms of infrastructure development, adding that the Lafia – Keffi 65 kilometres road had attained more than 40 per cent completion.

    “The road will improve food security in the state and FCT by the time it’s completed. Most of our people in Nasarawa State are farmers and this will help create market for the farm produce and reduce food prices,” he stated.

     

  • Fayose is very abusive, lacks decorum, says Oyegun

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Odigie-Oyegun said Monday that the party was working hard to redeem Ekiti state from what he described as a very abusive government.

    Oyegun who spoke when he received the report of the Primary election Committee from the committee chairman and Nasarawa state governor, Tanko Al-Makura said the present Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose was very abusive and lacked decorum.

    He praised the aspirants for their spirit of sportsmanship, adding that the disrupted primary,  gave the party an opportunity to organise a perfect one, adding that the committees, aspirants and the delegates at the primary deserves a gold medal.

    He said the party leadership had started work to consolidate on the victory recorded at the primary, saying “We are working to ensure that the victory you have started is carried through come July 14, this year at the governorship election”.

    Presenting the report, Gov. Tanko Al-Makura attributed the success of last Saturday primary to the maturity exhibited by aspirants, delegates and party members.

    He said the exercise was successful because of the cooperation, passion and commitment of party members, delegates and the aspirants, adding that “More than anything else, is the conduct of the delegates at the primary, they were very matured and orderly”.

    He added that in spite of the rains, the delegates carried themselves in a much matured way and even embarrassed themselves after the results were announced.

    He said the party’s leadership should use the platform of solidarity exhibited at the primary to ensure coercion among its member in the state especially.

    Al-Makura however, blamed the disrupted May 5 primary to the activities of hoodlums whom he said took advantage of security lapses then, to course crisis.

    Read Also: Fayose reacts to Adeyeye’s exit from PDP

  • PDP faults APC leaders, governors over handling of President’s health

    PDP faults APC leaders, governors over handling of President’s health

    Rumours on the President’s health were debunked again yesterday.

    He is not confined to a chair, Nasarawa State Governor Umar Tanko Al-Makura said.

    President Muhammadu Buhari hosted an All Progressives Congress (APC) delegation in London on Sunday. The Presidency released the photograph of the meeting and a short story on the visit. After a brief silence, the critics returned to action yesterday, insisting that the President is gravely ill.

    Al-Makura was in the delegation led by APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun. Also on the visit were Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Yahaya Bello (Kogi).

    Al-Makura said the President was “agile, mentally alert” and brainstormed on state matters for about an hour with the delegation during the meeting at the Nigerian House in London.

    He described those doubting the photograph of the meeting as being “comical”.

    The governor, who spoke exclusively with our correspondent shortly after returning from London, said: “The President is fit enough to return anytime.”

    “We did not only visit the President, we walked, we sat down with him and we fraternised the way we used to do. He was not confined to any chair or any place.

    “The President was really looking himself and very healthy. He was very alert, very concerned about the country and he was abreast of the latest issues in Nigeria. He has information on everything going on in the country.

    “He maintained his agility, his strength, his wit and the alertness of his mind. As far as I am concerned, the President can come back anytime from now. He is fit to return home.”

    Al-Makura said: “For about an hour, we brainstormed on a number of issues, especially about national interest and the unity of this country. We spoke generally on how to handle issues or policies that will enhance the quality of life in this country.

    “The President also tried to find out how each state was doing from the governors on the trip. And he asked questions from party leaders and all members of the delegation.

    “After a long session, we ended up on the dining table where we feasted with the President.”

    On the allegation that the trip was a make-believe, Al-Makura said: “Anyone can embark on wishful thinking. I was a member of the delegation and I have told you the truth about the way we met and interacted with the President.

    “The onus is on who alleges to prove otherwise. Whoever says we didn’t go is casting aspersions on our integrity. This is really unfortunate. We have no cause to lie to Nigerians. I just came in this morning and I have all my travel documents intact.

    “I am surprised that anyone could say that we didn’t see the President. It makes me appreciate the extent to which a person can go comical.”

    Leading the critics is the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has faulted the approach adopted by the APC and some government functionaries in communicating with Nigerians about the President’s health.

    In a telephone chat with our correspondent in Abuja, PDP spokesman Dayo Adeyeye chided the delegation, saying they were not being fair to Nigerians.

    Adeyeye said if the President was indeed well as shown to Nigerians, the APC delegation ought to have got from him audio and video messages to Nigerians.

    Adeyeye said, “For God’s sake, President Buhari was elected to represent about 200 million Nigerians and they are circulating just one photograph without any word from the leader.

    “That is not the right way to treat Nigerians who have been feeling the President’s absence from the country for close to three months. They are being unfair to the Nigerian people.”

    The opposition spokesman challenged the ruling party and its officials in government to do what others in the civilised world do in similar situations by providing detailed information on the President’s state of health.

    “The Presidency and the APC should learn to do the right. Nigerians deserve better treatment from a President they elected to run the affairs of their country.

    “It is very unfair to keep them in the dark concerning the health of the President only to be circulating just one photograph in the media for people who have been praying for the recovery of our President all this while”, Adeyeye added.

    Restating the commitment of the PDP to continue to pray for the speedy recovery of the President, Adeyeye maintained that the opposition party sincerely wished Buhari well.

    “As a party, we have been praying for the President’s speedy recovery and we will continue to pray for his recovery because when it comes to matters of health, nobody is immune to illness.

    “But the Presidency and the APC should stop taking Nigerians for granted with the way they are handling issues around the President’s health. This is not the way to treat a President they elected to govern them,” Adeyeye added.

  • Labour to Almakura: Resolve impasse with workers

    Labour to Almakura: Resolve impasse with workers

    Organised Labour made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) Monday asked Nasarawa state governor, Tanko Almakura to take urgent steps to address the issues raised by workers in the state which resulted in the ongoing strike by civil servants in the state.

    In a letter to the governor signed by the Secretary General of the two Labour Centres, Dr. Peter Ozo-Edson and Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson and Barrister Musa Lawal, Labour told the governor that issues that led to the strike were resolvable if the government is really interested in doing so.

    They also inform him that only organised labour in the state has the right to call of the strike and ask the governor to ignore any purported call for the suspension of the strike that did not emanate from the Labour.

    The letter dated June 2, 2017 reads: “It is with a high sense of duty and responsibility that we write to convey the position of the two Labour Centres on the ongoing strike in Nasarawa State.

    “You will recall sir, that the workers of Nasarawa State embarked on the ongoing strike action on the directives of Organised Labour in the state under the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress following the expiration of an ultimate jointly issued by the two Labour Centres.

    It is our position that the issues that led to the strike are resolvable, should the government prioritise the welfare and rights of the workers to wage employment.

    “May we advise therefore that you take the necessary steps towards resolving this empasse by meeting these basic demands of the workers, that are by no stretch of imagination extraneous to their fundamental rights as wage earning employees.

    “Please take notice sir, that no person acting individually or otherwise, other than by virtue of the mandate of Nasarawa workers, held in trust through our joint centres acting in concert can hold out to you their ability to resolve the issues.

    “Any purported calling off of the strike action made to you is clearly without authority and mandate of either the Nasarawa workers or the Organised Labour which we represent.

    “Workers in Nasarawa State have been directed not to heed the purported suspension of the strike action, until such a directive is made pursuant to an amicable resolution of the issues in contention for which the strike was called.

    “We are however open to genuine dialogue session with a view to resolving the empasse, provided the government eschews any perceived ploy at divide and rule or intimidation and harassment of committed leaders of the Labour Movement.  We urge the government to utilize transparent channels of communication and reach out to all leaders of Organised Labour in the state.

    “We hope that the dire situation of workers of the state will touch your Excellency, to activate the machinery for a quick resolution. While we look forward to your positive and urgent actions towards the resolution of the issues, please accept the assurances of our highest esteem.”