A SYMBOLIC EMBRACE
Speech of His Excellency, (Dr.) Abdullahi Adamu (Sarkin Yakin Keffi and A’are Obateru of the Source), Executive Governor of Nasarawa State on the Occasion of Gala Night in Honour of the Visiting Governor of Maradi Region, Niger Republic, His Excellency, Alhaji Ibrahim Belko, 21st September, 2005
On behalf of the Government and hospitable citizens of Nasarawa State, I most warmly welcome Your Excellencies and your entourage from Niger on this memorable visit to our state. Our people say, "Zumunci a Kafa Yake" and I want to affirm that the tortuous journey from Maradi to Nasarawa with the noble intention of building friendships between our peoples, States and countries is a significant landmark in African brotherhood. Indeed, this visit is a symbolic fellowship between not only Nasarawa State and Maradi Region but, a fortification of the existing relationship between Nigeria and Niger Republic. It is my hope and prayer that the bond of friendship that this visit ties today will endure forever.
Let me hasten to offer the sympathy of the people of Nasarawa state to the people of Niger republic over the unfortunate famine that befell your people early this year as a result of crop failure. Our President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, in response to an appeal by his Nigerien colleague, His Excellency, Tandja Momadou, called on all Nigerians to offer assistance to your people to ameliorate their suffering. When we heard of the drought and subsequent crop failure, we were touched by the sufferings of our brothers and sisters on the other side of the border. The people of our state quickly mobilized and in July this year, we sent a team of top government officials to deliver our relief materials on behalf of the government and people of Nasarawa State. We wish to use this occasion to thank the Nigerien Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Moussa Elhadji Ibrahim and staff of the embassy for the role they played in facilitating the delivery of the relief materials to Niger Republic. We are very encouraged by the sense of deep gratitude being exhibited by the visit of this high powered delegation in appreciation of our modest contribution in aid of our brothers. The journey from Maradi to Lafia is far and windy. We thank you for the thoughtfulness to undertake it. While appreciating the kind gesture exhibited by the visit, we do pray that Almighty Allah will spare the people of Niger this kind of draught in the future.
Your Excellencies, Nasarawa State is the youngest State of Nigeria, having been created by the Late General Sani Abacha in October, 1996. On the date the state was created, we were the last to be mentioned on the list. We thus consider our state as the youngest in Nigeria. In about eleven days from today, therefore, we shall be marking the ninth anniversary of the creation of this young but promising State.
When we received the mandate of the people through democratic elections in 1999, we were faced with the challenge of meeting the aspirations of the people for development. It was under such situation that we commenced a programme of reform and restructuring of the various sectors of the state. As a matter of priority, we commenced a programme of educational reform in order to improve on the human resource capacity of the state. Specifically, we launched our basic education reform programme at Ara, twenty-one days after we took office. The education reform programme also transformed our secondary and tertiary institutions and led to the establishment of a polytechnic in Lafia, schools of health technology, Keffi and nursing and midwifery, Lafia. To crown it all, we were able to establish a State University, which has already carved a niche for itself as one of the outstanding institutions in the country. As I address you now, I am happy to inform you that at least two citizens of Niger republic are employed as lecturers at the State University in Keffi. In addition, the colleges of education, Akwanga and agriculture, Lafia are now degree awarding institutions.
In realization of the urgency of providing basic necessities such as healthcare facilities, water supply and electricity, we embarked on the provision of rural infrastructural facilities around the state. We have a programme that provides solar driven potable water to all our electoral wards and electricity to all major settlements in the state. In this regard, we are currently building an Independent Hydro Electric Power Plant at the Farin Ruwa Waterfalls. This will greatly improve our energy generation capacity and support our efforts at industrialization. Also tertiary level medical hospitals have been set up in Lafia and Mararaban Gurku, as well as general hospitals in all local government headquarters and primary health care centers in most major settlements.
Equally strategic in our development efforts is agriculture, which is the principal occupation of our people, majority of whom live in the rural areas. To us, agricultural development and rural development must occur simultaneously. While boosting food production is aimed at enhancing the social security of the State, there are its attendant benefits of providing employment, economic empowerment of farmers, crime reduction and the curbing of rural-urban drift. It was in consonance with our determination to put agriculture on the right pedestal that we established a Fertilizer Blending Plant in Lafia which your delegation will be visiting tomorrow.
It is worthy of mention that Nasarawa State is one of the most investment–friendly States in the country in terms of agriculture and agro-allied enterprises. It is in this regard that I wish to suggest to Your Excellencies that there are many areas of business relationships between our people and your people, given our variety of agricultural produce and your comparative advantage in animal husbandry.
Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, this visit no doubt, avails our State and businessmen from Niger an opportunity of initiating relations that will be of mutual benefit to our people for now and in the future. I call on chambers of commerce from our respective states to network and open wide ranging discussions towards a regime of positive cooperation and growth.
As you cherish the cultural variety of Nasarawa State and visit a few of the projects which we have executed for the well-being of the people of this State in the past six years, I urge you to relax and take in the best of our culture.
In conclusion, I wish to say that the symbolism of this visit is in the fact that the peoples of both Niger and Nigeria have common interests and, there is therefore, every reason to nurture this worthy friendship.
Once again, I welcome you to Nasarawa State, the Home of Solid Minerals.
Thank you and may God continue to bless our efforts.
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