Investing in the Future of Nasarawa State
Speech by his Excellency, the first civilian governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu (Sarkin Yakin Keffi) on the occasion of the first Nasarawa State Economic Summit on 26th October, 1999.
It is with a sense of fulfillment and commitment to the cause of regenerating the vision for the creation of Nasarawa State, that I welcome you to the First Economic Summit of the State and the first to be organised by any State in the Country.
When we took over the mantle of leadership of our state, amongst other things, I enunciated the objectives of this administration to be:
- the evolution of a clear socio-cultural philosophy, coherent principles and ethics for the achievements of stability, good government, transparency and accountability, and the efficient management of resources;
- rapid development of basic infrastructures in the urban and rural areas;
- enthronement of equity, justice and fair-play in the conduct of government business;
- the refocusing of the collective energy of the people for self actualisation in the context of self-help and self-sustenance;
- rapid educational, industrial, agricultural and economic development of the state;
- the empowerment of all segments of the society as a catalyst for poverty alleviation;
- The refocusing and reorganisation of the entire Government machinery to be responsive to the yearnings of the people and to inculcate the culture of faster turn-around time in the implementation of Government policies.
These are no doubt, lofty objectives which the administration is jealously committed to implementing through our various programmes and specific projects.
There is controversy on whether five months in the life of a Government that has a 4-year mandate is sufficient time to appraise its performance. Whatever opinions may be expressed on the issue, I am happy to account for our modest performance so far. This we have done in order to provide necessary foundation on which general economic activities can take off and also prosper.
WATER SUPPLY
When I assumed duties in the state, nearly all facilities and infrastructures had collapsed. Water supply had become an amenity of yester-years. Happily, we have been able to reactivate water schemes in Keana, Nasarawa, Nassarawa-Eggon and Lafia town and are looking at new schemes in Mararaba, Karu and Masaka. Water supplies in Keffi, Akwanga and Doma which were earlier commissioned are still in good working condition. Furthermore, Government is determined to ensure comprehensive potable water supply to all our major settlements.
Our rural water supply scheme is also in progress as we are providing boreholes in different settlements around the state. This is expected to serve as necessary infrastructure for small and
medium scale enterprises.
ROADS
Our road network programme has been well conceived and articulated and will commence during this last quarter of the year as the rains recede. This shall further open up areas with huge mineral deposits, agriculture and livestock production capacity.
EDUCATION.
There is no doubt that the quality of education of any society determines to a large extent the capacity of its citizenry to chart a sustainable course of development.
Regrettably however, prior to the assumption of office of this administration, our primary, secondary and tertiary institutions were at varying stages of decay. Given this pitiful state of our educational infrastructures, this administration took urgent steps to build two additional classrooms in all the Local Government Areas of the State; establish two Science Secondary Schools in each of our three Senatorial districts, purchase basic science equipment worth about thirty million naira for the schools and acquire learning materials including exercise books for distribution free to our schools.
To further raise the morale of our school teachers, their salaries were enhanced and are promptly being paid with various allowances introduced to encourage productivity.
Plans to establish a State University are also in place. This is expected to produce graduates needed to meet up with the quality manpower requirements of the state.
HEALTH
The Health Sector also had its own share of unbridled neglect by the preceding Governments in the state. While health care services were not within reach of an average citizen of Nasarawa State where hospitals and Health Centres existed, the out-of-stock syndrome was the order rather than the exception. In order to reverse this prohibitive situation, this Government established General Hospitals in Akwnaga, Wamba, Keana, Obi, Awe, Nassarawa Eggon and Nasarawa Local Government Areas.
In addition, Government has supplied essential drugs, dressings and reagents to all Hospitals in the state.
POWER SUPPLY.
One of the greatest deterrents to viable economic activity, investment and industrialisation is the absence of steady and reliable power supply to oil the engine of development. Until the coming of this Administration on 29/5/99, Lafia the capital of Nasarawa State did not have sufficient energy supply to stimulate economic activities. One of the greatest challenges was to radically change the situation. And by the Grace of God, this administration has been able to improve the situation tremendously. The contract for linking Obi, Awe and Keana to the National Grid awarded two years ago and which suffered set back due to natural frustration has been re-awarded. We have been assured of immediate continuation and early completion of work on the project. When connected, that will complete the circle of power supply network in the state. Investors are assured that power supply in major towns in Nasarawa State is reliable. Our Rural Electrification programme is forging ahead to give electricity to the Rural populace preparatory to the commencement of our Rural Small Scale Industrial Policy Implementation.
Nasarawa is basically a rural state with much of its population living in rural areas. It has a land area of 27,116.8 square kilometers with a population of about three million people. It is also one of the leading food producing states of the federation. With this combination of arable land mass with a vibrant population of three million people the state can boast of human and natural resources for agriculture and agro-allied Industries.
The state is also supporting the federal Government policy on agriculture to boost production. In anticipation of surplus production therefore, the State is also in liaison with the Federal Government to reactivate the silos projects in Akwanga to prepare it for the storage of surplus grains. We wish to use this opportunity to call on private sector operators to come and establish small and medium scale food processing industries to cater for our large domestic market as well as for export.
Distinguished participants, Resource Persons, ladies and gentlemen, you will wish to note that Nasarawa State is the closest state to and has the largest border area with the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, with such growing towns as Karu, Mararaba and Masaka. These areas witness relatively high level of commercial activities because of the density of the population of residents there that heed to our call to live in Karu while working in the Federal Capital. Investment in property development around this neighbour-hood is very attractive. The private sector is therefore invited to strongly participate in this venture.
SOLID MINERALS
Our State as you know, is called "The Home of Solid Minerals". This is in conformity with the endowment of abundant solid minerals resources that is available within our borders.
In realisation of these potentials, Government has taken a step to actually undertake a study of a selected number of mineral deposits and their occurrences in order to determine their commercial quantity and quality to avail interested investors. Bearing in mind the Capital intensive nature of exploration Government had to take this initiative as an incentive to investors. At the moment, the current investigation is being limited to Salt, Byrites, Marbles and Limestone. We are optimistic that by the end of this year these studies would have been concluded.
I therefore, use this opportunity to urge the Federal Government to remove duties on Mining equipment. This is necessary to further encourage investors to exploit the large mineral deposits that exist in our state and Nigeria at large because as it has been said elsewhere "Solid Minerals are the Gold Mine of the New Millennium". We must therefore lay the necessary infrastructure to maximise the benefit derivable from this natural resource.
TOURISM
Tourism is also a sector that is awaiting exploitation because of the abundant tourism potentials that exist in the state. Hotel development sector of the economy in Nasarawa State is still virgin. Apart from the abundant natural sites of tourism and industrial development, little has been done to physically develop them. Some of the tourism potentials include the Farin Ruwa Falls in Wamba Local Government Area, Feferuwa Lake in Lafia Local Government for holiday resorts development, Hunki ox-bow Lake, Akiri Warm Spring in Awe, the Eggon Rollong Hills and Caves, and the Bakono Games Reserves in Nasarawa Local Government.
Ladies and Gentlemen, on our part Government has put in place various incentives to attract investment to the state. The incentives that are currently in place include the establishment of industrial layouts in Masaka and Lafia, which will soon be provided with infrastructure to facilitate allocation. Processing fees for these plots will be reasonable and the maximum period for granting Certificate of Occupancy is within five weeks of application. In addition elaborate legal frame work for a conducive investment climate is being worked out. These include adequate security measures to protect investors’ lives and property, liberal taxation regime with adequate incentives and waivers for pioneer investors, amongst others.
Also, the State Investment Company has just been restructured and strengthened to make it pro-active and thus meet the new challenges of development. I therefore wish to assure that the state is eager to welcome investors and give them maximum support required of Government to create the enabling environment and climate for investment to flourish. So any investor wishing to establish in the state can now approach the State Investment and Development Company for necessary guidance.
Ladies and Gentlemen, given the above scenario, I believe that you can now appreciate our decision to organise an Economic Summit for Nasarawa State. One of the many objectives as you can see is to expose our abundant resources in the minerals, agriculture, commerce, tourism and livestock to would-be investors and urge them to discuss freely their areas of interests with the relevant arms of Government for possible areas of cooperation.
It is hoped that at the end of the summit an economic and industrial blue print will be produced, that will launch Nasarawa State into the comity of economically strong, viable, industrial states of the Federation. I want to urge all participants and investors to use this summit to freely discuss areas of mutual interest in the state. Let me assure all investors, that Nasarawa State the "Home of Solid Minerals" is also the home of hospitality,peace, business and it is also investor-friendly. Government is prepared for joint venture investments in all sectors of its economy with local, national or foreign investors. But we will also welcome full private initiative and participation in any area of interest.
In conclusion, I wish to congratulate the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperative for bringing this cream of personalities, businessmen, investors and resource persons to our young state.
I wish you all happy deliberations and safe return back to your destinations.
Thank you and God bless.
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