The Nasarawa State Government has ordered a state-wide enumeration exercise towards assessing infrastructural and developmental needs of citizens of the state for quick implementation. A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Abdul- Hamid Y. Kwara, said the census would hold in the 13 local government areas of the state on September 1. The exercise, ordered by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, in line with his vision to usher in an era of inclusive development, will last for six weeks.
According to Kwara, in spite of government best efforts, many citizens and residents have continued to lament lack of basic social amenities in parts of the state. “The objective is to obtain and secure demographic data that will guide the administration in the provision of social amenities, such as housing, roads and rural infrastructure including water and electricity, that are lacking in some parts of the state.â€
The statement said in the course of the exercise, enumerators will be visiting homes and offices across the state to administer questionnaires to residents and workers on their needs. “The Nasarawa State Government is therefore using this medium to call on all residents of the state, to cooperate with the enumerators and respond appropriately in order to ensure that the objectives of the exercise are achieved. In addition, the state government wishes to state unequivocally that this exercise is not just for the indigenes of Nasarawa State, but for non-indigenes and residents,” said the statement.
“Despite being one of the least revenue earning states in the country, with a little over N7 billion being receipts from federal allocation in the first quarter of 2017 and an IGR estimates of about N4 billion in the last four years, Al-Makura has through prudent and frugal deployment of resources implemented a number of laudable projects and programme envisioned by the administration. “Some include the cargo airport project, special schools in each of the senatorial zones, construction of bridges, culverts, public health infrastructures, among others.
“The administration has also created the Nasarawa Geographic Information Services (NAGIS) to enhance even and structured development of the state in line with the state’s approved master plan. However, governor Al-Makura appreciates need for more to be done towards ensuring equitable distribution of social amenities to alleviate the plight of the citizens some of whom have downed tools in protest and a strike action,†the statement noted.
