By Mu'azu Osekalago

In keeping with its promise,the Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma administration has started demonstrating that it could match it words with action, with regards to consolidating or building on the foundation laid by its predecessors indications are that with the level and temper of work embarked upon by the state government, the former lower Plateau will soon be the envy of other states of the federation.

Nasarawa state, as we are all aware, was created by the then military administration of late General Sani Abacha on the 1st of October, 1996. Basically an agrarian state blessed with enormous deposits of solid mineral, a factor which led to the adoption of the motto, “Home of Solid minerals”, Nasarawa, to be blunt, is backward in terms of social and infrastructural development. The dream of good road networks, portable drinking water and a host of other necessities of life were before now, a mirage!

However, as it is always said, at the end of every dry season comes rain. Every sun set is acceded by sun rise. It appears, from all indications beginning to turn turning into reality. Events in the last few months point to the fact that Nasarawa is satisfactorily set for repositioning. Even the most cynical among us can not but accept the fact that our state is changing by leaps and bounds.

The present administration of Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma, no doubt, is bent on repositioning the state. The governor has, within this few months of his administration shown all and sundry that his is a working and not a talking administration. He believes in action as opposed to rhetorics. Virtually all the sectors of the state are experiencing the re-engineering agenda of the present administration, encapsulated in the 13-point agenda, aimed at total transformation of both the urban and rural settlements of the state.

Governor Doma came on board with a 13-point agenda, strategically designed for the transformation of the state. Consequently, efforts have been intensified at ensuring the realization of the dream of taking Nasarawa state to the proverbial Promised Land through careful and focused implementation of the administration reforms initiatives. Mindful of the fact that Nasarawa needs social and infrastructural revolution and conscious of its responsibility as a government, the Governor Doma-led administration had commenced work, aimed at fulfilling the social responsibility of government to the people. Before now, the administration was erroneously nicknamed “slow”. But as events unfold, all have come to realize that, slow though it seems to be at the beginning, it is in reality a sound and focused one. It was merely being careful and not slow as some people mistook it to be.

Determined to reposition the state, Governor Doma, after a careful study and stock-taking, restructured government ministries and parastatals organizations for effective and efficient service delivery. As it is now, Nasarawa state is a proud owner of a restructured civil service, where service delivery and due process are the driving force. Better still, not only was the civil service restructured, workers welfare, which is one of the cardinal focus of Governor Doma, has received the desired attention. To further re-affirm his commitment to improving worker’s welfare, the governor in October 2007, approved the 15% salary increase for all categories of workers.

Governor Doma began his repositioning programme by launching the Urban renewal programme of his administration. A bold step towards re-engineering the urban settlements, the urban renewal programme is a commendable step as it aims at giving the state a facelift. The progress of work at the Lafia township roads has gone a long in rekindling the hope of the masses in our democracy.

Also road networks in selected communities in the state have been earmarked for rehabilitation and reconstruction in the first phase of the road construction exercise, while other communities are billed for consideration in the second phase. Lafia the state capital which has suffered neglect in the past, has had its fair share of the transformation initiative of the present administration.

Contracts for the installation of solar powered lights in Lafia has been awarded and work has commenced in earnest. Though moving at a slow pace, the sluggishness of the work should not be misconstrued for ineffectiveness. Far from it! It is strategy aimed at ensuring quality service delivery to the people of the state.

Pursuant to its transformation agenda which seeks to provide infrastructural services to the people, thereby ensuring total transformation of the state, the state government recently awarded contracts for roads and water projects. Contractors have since moved to site with an assurance of quality work and completion within specifications and time frame. The construction of all season network of roads intended to open up our rural areas to commercial and economic activities is basically the panacea for our much needed development. Also the plan to provide portable drinking water to the people when completed, will no doubt add value to the lives of the peoples of the state.

It is indeed a commendable effort that the present administration is committed to rebranding the state. The provision of essential amenities and the desire to improve on existing social infrastructure in urban and rural area are but clear manifestation of Governor Doma’s preparedness to give the state the desired leadership.

As the governor rightly said in one of his broadcast to the people of the state, “our target is a better Nasarawa state for everybody” All that is needed is the maximum co-operation of all and sundry. No doubt, such co-operation has been forthcoming as was seen in the demonstration of support which greeted the signing of contracts for both water and roads projects. A cross section of Nasarawa state citizens have expressed their satisfaction at the initiative.

It is indeed interesting to note that, in its quest to bring the people closer to government, the present administration has commenced the provision of social amenities in line with its policies and programmes. In so short a time, in its determination to repositioned the state, the present administration has ensured a total over haul of virtually all the sectors of the state’s economy. Nasarawa, to put it mildly, has started working.

Besides all the noble and lefty ideals of his administration and the continuation of its reforms agenda, Governor Doma initiated a monthly media briefing where his Information and Orientation commissioner, Alhaji Aliyu Mustafa, himself a versatile media person, normally addresses the press on the activities of the administration. It is an established fact that information is knowledge. During the monthly media briefings, press men have the opportunity to seek clarification on certain policy issues of the government as well as advice the government on how to deliver better service to the people. The idea of addressing the press on a monthly basis and the opportunity for cross fertilization of ideas that it offers, is a credit to the present administration in its efforts to repositioned the state.

It has become clear to all and sundry, that the administration of Governor Doma is determined and truly committed to moving Nasarawa state to greater heights. As events continually unfold, it is becoming evidently clear to all that the dream of a better Nasarawa state is realizable. With this in mind, we must all realize that the task of moving the state forward is a collective one. As stakeholders therefore, every citizens of Nasarawa state, in particular and residents generally, must both collectively and individually, strive to contribute their own quota to the over all development of our dear Nasarawa state.