By Danmusa Mohammed & Bilkisu M. Usman

Nasarawa State Government has earmarked the sum of N148 million for the establishment of master plans for the six major towns in the state, namely, Karu, Keffi, Nasarawa, Akwanga, Lafia and Doma.

The state commissioner for lands, survey and town planning, Alhaji Mohammed Kabir, who disclosed this to newsmen in Lafia, the state capital, said the next phase of the project would cover the planning of more urban towns around the state.

He assured that proper planning of urban towns particularly that of Karu has become necessary in view of the urgent need to control the influx of people to the area as well as to discourage the proliferation of slums and outbreak of diseases, among other things.

Alhaji Kabir disclosed that plans were in top gear by the state government to carry out a proper mapping of the state. In addition, he said the state government has entered into partnership with private organisation for the construction of 500 houses for civil servants in the state.

He stated that already, contractors have started mobilizing to the site of the project, pointing out that the houses which would be constructed in phases would provide civil servants a rare opportunity of benefiting from their contribution to the National Housing Scheme.

The commissioner expressed his confidence that the construction firm would execute the job according to schedule and specification saying, beneficiaries of the houses would have a repayment period of between 20-25 years.

He described the efforts at repositioning the state by the present administration as revolutionary, challenging all stakeholders to join hands with the government in the struggle for a better Nasarawa State.