Dividends of Al-makura’s 7-day working visit to Karu by Umar Muhammed

By Umar Muhammad Puma

In the history of Nasarawa State, no governor has done what Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura did last week when he stepped out from his luxurious office voluntarily and partake in the cleaning of the depth of debris within the water
ways in the suburb of the greater Karu axis, which has for long time caused incessant flood, traffic gridlock, and untold hardship to the people living in the area.

This he has done without compulsion, but to better the lives of ordinary citizens who are angling and craving for any kind of initiative by the government to make their environment more sustainable. To many this is unusual but for those who know Al-makura would readily testify that humility, commitments are his attributes.

Touched by the sufferings of the people living in the area, especially the daily routine of traffic gridlock caused by blocked water ways as a result of dumping of unnecessary waste, the governor initiated the seven days working visit to the area with the sole purpose of  rehabilitating, reconstructing, recovery and development of the greater Karu.

A lot of times people living in the area are indifferent to the development of the area because there was no a proper and visionary direction or initiative by people who should take charge. But with this laudable initiative by the governor by sacrificing out of his busy schedule seven days, to sanitize the area, has justified the governors resolve and commitment to turn the place into the new Abuja.

The working visit which commenced from welcome to Abuja gate where the governor inspected the area, gave traders at the Mararaba Building Materials market on Abuja-Keffi road, two months to quit the area or the face wrath of the law, saying the activities of traders, especially those at the building materials market, were hindering free flow of traffic on the route.

The governor, in his usual humanitarian gesture, however promised to provide alternative market for the traders. He said that efforts would be made to clear drains along the road to check incessant flooding in the area. He also gave operators of motor parks on the road two weeks to vacate the area, saying that their activities were obstructing free flow of traffic, and that all motor parks operating within the greater Karu area should henceforth operate within the perimeter fence.

Mr Peter Ejike, chairman of the Traders Association, told the governor that they would comply with the directive and appealed to him to expedite action in providing alternative market for them.

Al-makura who almost entered every nook and cranny of the greater Karu area, said his administration would not relent in its effort to sustain the cleanliness of the area, saying any anomaly found in terms of sanitation, waste disposal and in terms of non compliance by the residence will be dealt with accordingly. To this end, the governor said he would introduce monthly environmental sanitation for every last Saturday of the month; this he said would sustain the tempo of hygiene and environmental sustainability.

“”The amount of waste that is daily accumulated within Mararraba alone is getting too unbearable, efforts are being made in refuse evacuation, we will also ensure that whoever that has a shop or an office channel in front of his or her office, very soon between now and December, we are going to declare and dedicate certain Saturday’s in the month as sanitation day so that people can compliment efforts to ensure that we have a sustainable environment where we shall all be proud of” the governor stated.

Another serious issue bothering the residence is lack of alternative road from Karu to Abuja, however the governor through his laudable initiative of traffic free greater Karu area, flagged off the 5.7 kilometer Anguwan Hashimu- Mararaba Gurku road that would serve as an alternative route to Abuja.

The contract which is awarded to a Chinese firm, Tongyi Group would be completed before the end of this fiscal year, and would link from Karu international market through the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and would serve as an alternative route with the aims of decongesting the Abuja- Keffi express way.

The governor said Karu occupies important place in his administration as a result of it proximity with federal capital territory. He explained that “there is nothing as ridiculous as the 2006 census which reduced the population of the inhabitants of the state to 1.8 million while only Karu has over 2 million people”.

The governor said his administration have carefully studied and analysed the situation and discovered that alternative road is the best solution to the problems and come out with the 5.7 kilometers Anguwan Hashimu- Mararaba Gurku route in Karu. He said the project, which is expected to provide access road to communities around the Karu international market, is aimed at uplifting the standard of life of the people in the area by alleviating the hardship being experienced by farmers and traders in the area.

Al-makura said “we have identified some of the causes of gridlock on these areas, apart from marketers spreading their good on the road, there are also emergency motor parks and garages that are in trespass, these have added so much confusion and congestion in certain areas like Nyanya bridge, so we are working toward getting the people to understand the need for these initiatives so that the environment will be sustain and that people would have an easy passage and promote good hygiene.

“You will find in place where there is suppose to be culvert but there is not, so the water will just spread on top of the road and no matter how standard is the road, so long as these water continue to flow for certain number of time, such road will not last, so we have identified these areas and we would very soon introduce more culverts.

Spokesperson for the Tongyi Group, Mr. Vincent Yuan expressed the company’s resolve to execute the contract within the stipulated terms of reference while the Etsu Karu, His Royal Highness, Luka Kpanya Baba described the flag off of the road as a fulfillment of campaign promises by the governor.

“All the gutters in Nyanya have been cleared, the depth of debris within the channels in some places are more than half a meter and have been evacuated, with water now flowing freely. The place is getting neater, healthier; mosquitoes are not likely going to be there anymore I believe the people living within the Karu greater area have a sign of relief.

“We will make Karu another Maryland of Abuja but there are certain things that we have to do, which we have started doing, we are constructing bridges and dedication certain plan areas for certain land use. Unless the residence support and comply with this we are not going to have a problem that is why we are urging them to comply with these regulations. Where is meant for residential should be residential, where it is meant for factories or industries it should remain for industries, and where it is meant for merchandized it should remain for that and also markets and parks. We are going to absolute compliance to these land use”.

To cushion the effect of housing within the area, the governor said his administration will soon embark on construction of mass houses for low income earners that people can rent or buy out rightly as part of contribution in making life meaningful for the low income earners, that would take care of the people who cannot afford expensive houses either within FCT or the suburb.

On those encroaching on the government lands, the governor warned those engage in the act to desist from doing it, saying his administration will not tolerate this act of sabotage and anybody found wanting will be dealt with to serve as deterrent to others.

Governor Al-makura who spent seven days inspecting ongoing project in Karu local government, has on his first day, inspected ongoing interstate roads from Mararraba, Panda, linking Jos, Bauchi road; Mararrana High Court, motor parks, drainages, among others.

At the end of the project tour, the governor has this to say to the people of the area; “The amount of cooperation and support from the citizens and residence of greater Karu area has really impressed me, I’m very proud of Karu and I’m very proud of Nigeria. I must thank the security operatives for ensuring that law and order are sustained, we have also set up permanent task force to ensure that it continues

Ref: peoplesdailyng.com