Governor Abdullahi Adamu has urged communities in Nasarawa state to rise up to the challenges of traditional independence. He was speaking at the official installation and presentation of staff of office to the Sanagrin Giza as a 3rd class chief in the state.

Governor Adamu used the occasion to call on all traditional rulers to galvanize the energies of their people for self-help projects. He said the projects that were conceptualized from the local environment were more sustainable and relevant to the developmental needs of the people.

On the new poll tax to be introduced in the New Year, Governor Adamu said the policy was not to burden the people, but to make them real stakeholders in the Nasarawa project. He said government was fully aware of the fact that not much money would be made from the collection of the taxes, but it was important that every adult in the state contribute to the public treasury. This way, they will have a moral and civic right to hold government accountable for the implementation of projects. He used the occasion to lament the present situation where communities depended totally on government for project which can only be implemented on the basis of how healthy the treasury was.

The Governor also informed the audience that arrangements were on-going to organize seminars and workshops for traditional rulers to make them more sensitive to the needs of their communities and for government/community harmony.