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Good governance, unity and prosperity
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
BROADCAST BY HIS EXCELLENCY, ALHAJI ALIYU AKWE DOMA, OON (GARKUWAN DOMA) EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR, NASARAWA STATE ON 29TH MAY, 2007.
My dear people of Nasarawa State will recall that this morning I was sworn in as the new Executive Governor of the State. By that development I have taken over the mantle of leadership of Nasarawa State from Alh. (Dr) Abdullahi Adamu whose tenure has come to an end.
The position I have attained today did not materialise out of human wisdom or my personal design but bestowed on me by divine providence and the collective will of the people of Nasarawa State.
I must therefore, start this broadcast by giving glory to God, Almighty, who in His infinite wisdom granted us success at the poll thus bestowing on our shoulders the onus of steering the ship of State for the next four years. We must also give thanks to God for bringing us to this day and granting success to the handing over ceremony. I cannot stop thanking you the good people of Nasarawa State for keeping faith with the democratic process and giving me your mandate to run the affairs of Nasarawa State for the next four years.
I must particularly thank all the stakeholders, party chieftains, opinion and community leaders who remained resolute behind the cause of justice, fairness and peace in the aftermath of the election results. May the Almighty God reward you for your efforts in restoring calm in our communities which has paved way for the peaceful transition.
In taking my oath this morning, I swore to uphold, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I recognise the fact that in doing so, I must be diligent in the discharge of my responsibilities and conduct the affairs of State in a transparent, fair, just and equitable manner knowing that I am accountable in all respects to God and the people of the State. This is by no means a mean task. I am however, determined to do all that is humanly possible to justify the confidence you have reposed in me. I trust that God is on our side and will give us all that it takes to render good service. I also have faith in the good people of Nasarawa State to give us their utmost cooperation and support at all times.
We must all realise from the onset that the task of developing Nasarawa State is beyond the capacity of an individual or group of individuals. It is beyond the capacity of a single ethnic group. It is similarly beyond the capacity of one religious group. It is undoubtedly a collective task of all citizens of the State. It follows therefore, that in whatever capacity and no matter our class or creed we must all work as a team. On my part, I pledge to provide Nasarawa State with the desired commitment and visionary leadership that will move the State from strength to strength.
It must be pointed out that the primary responsibility of Government is to guarantee security to lives and property as well as the welfare of its citizens. It follows therefore, that the policies and programmes of any administration should be fashioned to provide the necessary spring board for viable political system, economic development and social transformation. Our agenda is therefore predicated on the attainment of maximum good to the generality of the people.
The Civil Service is the bedrock of Government and is responsible for the successes or failures of Government policies and programmes. It is indeed the bridge that makes for continuity between one administration and the other. Our administration recognises this pivotal role and will provide the necessary impetus that will facilitate policy initiation and implementation. We shall take prompt measures to ensure that we restore to the service the attributes of decorum, humility, dedication and discipline. We are determined to enforce strict adherence to rules, regulations and due process without inhibiting efficiency in any way. Our civil Service must be fair to all segments of our people. Above all, the service must display absolute neutrality and eschew divisive tendencies.
Our Administration will endeavour to reinvigorate, re-energise and reposition the service for the onerous task of developing the State. Our ultimate goal in this direction is to restore the lost glory of the Civil Service where competence, professionalism and productivity are the guiding principles.
The industrial harmony which characterised the relationship between Labour and Government in the past eight years will be sustained and even improved upon. It is in this regard that I wish to appeal to our striking Teachers who have downed tools over unpaid benefits to return to work immediately so that students can resume classes for the current academic term which has already commenced. While we appreciate that the Teachers may be pursuing a genuine cause, we must not lose sight of our responsibilities to the educational aspirations of our children. I want to assure our Teachers that as soon as we settle down their grievances would be given the desired attention. I am confident that the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools will respond favourably to this plea.
Our Administration recognises the role of the traditional institution in community mobilization and as true custodians of the peoples culture and civilisation. I must therefore, commend the efforts of my predecessor for enhancing the status of our traditional institution. We will endeavour to consolidate on the gains and galvanise them for more active participation in the governance of Nasarawa State. I am aware of continuous agitations for advancement of the status of certain Chieftaincy institutions and creation of new ones. I am also aware of numerous demands for the creation of additional District and Village Areas. These shall be examined appropriately and deserving cases will receive Government attention.
In our development drive, our administration will focus on some key areas. These include the expansion of water supply in, the State capital. As well as the construction of road networks within the Lafia Metropolis. We also intend to embark on the construction of rural roads and rural water supply schemes in order to boost the economic potentials of our rural communities.
We are mindful of the strategic role of a functional health care delivery system in the socio-economic development of the State. It is therefore our desire to reform the health care sector for better and more efficient service delivery, Pursuant to this, Government will take necessary steps towards completing the on-going hospital projects, provide modern equipment, recruit and train personnel and ensure adequate and sustainable supply of drugs and other consumables. We shall collaborate with other stakeholders in the implementation of our programmes in this sector.
Poised to reverse the falling standard of education in the country and indeed the State, this Administration will focus attention on transforming our schools into model centres of excellence both in terms of quality of teaching and infrastructure. We shall continue to enhance the teaching capacity of our educational institutions through recruitment of relevant Teachers, regular training and re-training, staff motivation and provision of instructional materials. Towards this end, the State Educational Resource Centre shall be upgraded and strengthened to enable it perform optimally and meet the dire needs of our schools.
In view of the strategic role of the youth in the development of our State, our administration will consider the youth as major stakeholders. Accordingly, we shall harness the resourcefulness of the vibrant youths through employments and appointments. Furthermore, government will address the problem of youth unemployment through the implementation of skills acquisition and youth empowerment strategies.
As in the case of the youth, we will harness the potentials of our womenfolk in the governance of the State. We will also boost their entrepreneurial capacity through the provision of micro-credit schemes and other empowerment strategies.
There is no doubt that Nasarawa State is endowed with large deposit of solid minerals and vast agricultural resources. This is complemented by a large reservoir of human resource and hospitable people. Nasarawa State is therefore, an investor's haven. However, despite these endowments, our people have remained impoverished and underdeveloped. Our Administration will initiate viable and sustainable economic development programmes that will lift our people above the poverty level. Efforts will be intensified to woo credible investors from within and outside the country to invest in Nasarawa State. On our part, we shall create a conducive and attractive environment including granting of tax-holiday for such Investors.
Nasarawa State is lucky to share boundary with the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. This proximity has no doubt been responsible for the ever increasing spate of economic activities around the Karu axis. However, the corresponding influx of people has put enormous pressure and over stretched the available social infrastructure. Needless to say that this situation led to the development of squalor and slums and the attendant of high wave of crimes and other social vices. This administration will therefore take appropriate measures to sanitize our gateway to the nation's capital, Abuja. We will also demand the collaboration and assistance of the Federal Government in ameliorating the complexities that have arisen from the migration of multitudes of Abuja residents into our domain.
All over the World, democracy is operated and nurtured on a tripartite arrangement. Our administration will accord full recognition and due respect for the intrinsic principle of separation of powers between the three Arms of Government. We hope to work closely, in friendship and in cooperation with both the legislature and the judiciary for the overall good of our people.
My dear people of Nasarawa State, no meaningful development can be achieved by any government in an atmosphere of rancour and acrimony. We have no choice therefore than to live in peace with one another. Our administration shall therefore give priority attention to the maintenance of law and order and general security of the State. We shall continue to collaborate with all security agencies and give them the necessary support to enable them discharge their responsibilities without hindrance.
In conclusion, let me reiterate that our administration shall welcome advice and constructive criticisms from all well-meaning citizens on the governance of the State. We urge you therefore not to shy away from this opportunity to contribute your quota to the development of our State.
Finally, I want to thank you once again for the show of solidarity and support demonstrated to us from the day our victory in the election was declared. We assure you that the goodwill you have invested in us will never be regretted. We accept the challenge of leadership, good governance and positive transformation of our dear State and by the grace of God we will not let you down.
Thank you and God Bless.
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