The workaholic immediate past governor of Nasarawa state and senator representing Nasarawa South senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura is a man of history and destiny. His private and public life have always been that of serving God and humanity which keep him going in his life journey, business, politics and governance.
Whenever he is given a little responsibility he translates it into achievements and makes a new history beyond imagination that leaves one agape. Though born with a golden spoon to a highly reputable family but arrogance has no place in his life; he epitomises humility, simplicity and love for the common man in his dealings.
These attributes, among other humane dispositions, make him an attractive bride to the people of Nasarawa state who saw the need to bring him as their governor in 2011 at a time all hopes were lost. He succeeded to send his predecessor to the dustbin of history and ended 12 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rule in Nasarawa, creating a new history and record in the politics and governance of the state.
In his eight years tenure as governor, Nasarawa state witnessed its best moment in terms of massive infrastructural drive. Al-Makura raised the bar of governance of the state and turned Nasarawa into a model of good governance and infrastructural development in Nigeria with his footprints and legacies scattered across all sectors of the state which marks him out as the best performing governor Nasarawa state has ever produced since its creation.
His superlative performance has not only endeared him to the hearts of the ordinary people of the state who nick name him, “The architect of modern Nasarawa state” but also left the people of Nasarawa South, where he hails from, which comprises five local government areas of Lafia, Keana, Awe, Doma and Obi with no option than to elect him as their senator in 2019 following the completion of his tenure as governor.
Since his election to the red chambers, Al-Makura has continued to keep the hopes of his people alive and proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is, indeed, the best choice for the people of Nasarawa South, as his campaign slogan implies, with his brand of representation as he continued to served his people with the same zeal, passion and commitments as he did as governor.
Al-Makura has continued to be a beacon of hope to his people defending their interest and glorifying the name of the senatorial district and the state in the eyes of the world with his vibrancy, brilliant contributions to national debates on the floor of the senate which endear him to the hearts of his colleagues and those that matter in government, making it possible for him to attract federal projects from ministries, departments and agencies to his constituency.
He is always in the forefront lobbying for projects, sponsoring bills and motions that will add value to the socio-economic lives of his constituents and deepening the country’s democracy. The bills include firearm control, Federal University Lafia, teaching hospital bill, which have since been passed into law, mining sector reform bill, among others, geared towards unbundling the sector to make it more attractive to foreign investors.
Al-Makura has constructed and rehabilitated many urban and rural roads in all the senatorial zone. They are rural access road in Shabu, Ashige – Ugah – Fadaman Bauna in Lafia local government area. Others are Agyaragu to Kwarra in Keana local government area; Obi – Ikposoge-Assakio in Obi local government area and from Kanje -Jangwa in Awe local government area as well as from Idadu -Agbashi in Doma local government area, among others. He also carried out massive renovations of schools, building of new classrooms blocks and distribution of educational materials to schools in his senatorial district.
The senator has also made giant strides in the health sector, which witnessed construction and equipping of hospitals, clinics and primary health care centres in Doma, Daddare and other parts of the senatorial district as well as procurement and distribution of transformers to communities, constructions of boreholes, instillation and supply of integrated solar street lights in Lafia, Awe, Keana ,Obi and Doma to improve power and water supplies to his constituency.
On empowerment and poverty reduction, the former Nasarawa state governor has flagged off many empowerment programmes which saw massive distribution of empowerment tools such as grinding machines, sewing machines, generating sets and other tools to women, youths, people with disabilities, third class traditional rulers and community leaders.
To consolidate on his achievements and support the efforts of the present administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule, Al-Makura two weeks ago flagged off another round of free distribution of five trucks load of fertiliser, herbicides and pesticides to the farming population in all the five local government areas of his senatorial district.
Speaking at the event in his constituency office, Al-Makura said that, the effort is geared towards bringing succour to farmers in his district and cushion the harsh economic situation of the country which will boost farming in the state and enhance food security. He explained that the gesture is also in furtherance of support to the President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Sule administrations, stressing that for Nigeria to have food security there is the need not only to expand the scope of farming but also provide sufficient inputs to enhance better yield and called on farmers to continue to step up efforts in order to produce more.to ensure food security in the country.
He assured the people of Nasarawa South of his commitment to keep on the good work of impacting on their lives by providing them with true dividends of democracy and initiate more bills that will address the various challenges confronting his people and move the country forward.
Also speaking at the event Governor Abdullahi Sule commended Al-Makura for this bold initiative which he described as unprecedented and for all his development projects spread across his senatorial district and urged other elective representatives to emulate his footsteps. He declared supports for Al-Makura’s re-election in 2023.describing him as a mentor and the best thing that has ever happened to the state and people of his senatorial district with his projects.
Abari writes from Lafia, Nasarwa state
