Speaking at the opening of a 2-day stakeholders consultative meeting at Karu, the Executive Governor of Nasarawa state, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu noted the immense contributions of the World Bank and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) in encouraging the development of habitable cities in Nigeria and the world over. According to the Governor, the Nasarawa state Government is committed, through legislation to ensure the orderly development of all its cities and urban areas.

In the specific case of Karu, the Governor said that government had already legislated that the area be declared an urban area as well as established the Karu Area Planning and Development Authority to ensure its proper planning. In the same vein, a United Kingdom based consultancy firm, Pell Frischmann, has been commissioned to prepare a master plan for the greater Karu area. These efforts by government are meant to ensure that the area does not degenerate into a slum with the effects of such a situation becoming pervasive.

Turning to the Karu people, the Governor called on them to use the opportunity of the consultative meetings to agree on concrete proposals that will lead to the development of a Karu which will be a pride of all. He assured all the international and multi-lateral organizations involved in the meetings that the state government is willing to enter into any partnership agreement with them that will ensure the improvement of the standard of living of the people of Karu.

Speaking earlier, Nigeria’s Minister of state for works and housing, Mr. Garba Madaki Alli expressed the concerns of the Federal Government in ensuring the improved and sustainable development of Karu as a satellite city of Abuja. As a practical step in this direction, the federal government has secured an International Development Association (IDA) credit in the sum of US$109.8 million to support integrated infrastructure development in 13 states of the federation. He said the Karu and Mararaba communities would be among the first settlements to benefit form the scheme.

Other guests who addressed the audience were the UNDP resident representative in Nigeria, Mr. Mbaya Kankwenda and the Director, Regional office for African and Arab states, Mr. Alioune Badiane. Traditional, community and business leaders attended the consultation from the Karu area. The sessions of the consultation will include roundtables with every business and community group in the area