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Al-Makura flags off sight, services scheme 21 years after

Al-Makura flags off sight, services scheme 21 years after

NAN-H-62

Scheme

By Awayi Kuje

Karu (Nasarawa State), May 15, 2017 (NAN) Gov. Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has flagged off the state’s sight and services scheme to provide housing for low and medium income earners.

The estate is located in Karu Local Government Area near the FCT Abuja.

Al-Makura, while performing the flag off ceremony on Monday, reiterated the commitment of his administration in ensuring security, sanity and housing to the people.

He said that the scheme was designed to ease the burden of accommodation for the people in the state and at the corridors of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the state Sight and Services Scheme was first conceived in 1997.

Al-Makura said that the scheme was aimed at attracting developers with the interest in housing to invest in the state.

He added that government could not afford not to develop the greater Karu master plan due to its proximity to the federal capital.

The governor stated that since he came on board, one of the cardinal policies of his administration was to develop infrastructures across the state.

According to him, this has been my major priority consequently the establishment of Nasarawa Geographic Information Service (NAGIS).

“My administration has invested so much and has transformed almost all the sectors of the economy such as education, health, works, agriculture and commerce, among others.

“This is done in order to reduce poverty, unemployment and to boost the socio-economic development of the state,” he said.

Al-Makura said the policy trust of the government on urban development was a project to be accomplished despite the lean resources of the state, hence the need to establish a robust housing estate.

“Government is ready and has put every machinery in place to make the project a realisable dream as it will also allocate plots to private spirited individuals with the interest of estate development,” he added.

He explained that in six months when the project might have been completed it would be offered to the low and medium income earners.

Al-Makura said the project, which has a space of 21 hectares of land, would include a bus terminal to give the estate a befitting outlook to add value to Abuja.

The governor restated his administration’s commitment to continue to deliver good policies and programmes that have direct bearing on the lives of the people of the state.

Mr Shehu Tukur, the consultant to the Nasarawa State Government on projects development, said the idea which was the second attempt was purely to establish a residential layout to ensure urban renewal.

He commended the governor for flagging off the project and the will to actualise it.

Earlier, the State Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Mr Sony Agassi, said since the introduction of NAGIS, it had availed the state the opportunity to be placed higher in the sub-African region in the area of land administration. (NAN)

AKW/JEO/MST

Edited by Jane-Frances Oraka/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FG lauds UNFPA intervention on population, humanitarian services

FG lauds UNFPA’s intervention on reproductive, humanitarian services

NAN-HG-45

Population

By Cecilia Ologunagba

Abuja, March 21, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Government on Tuesday commended the intervention of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in the areas reproductive health, family planning, population and development as well as humanitarian services.

Mr Samuel Eloho, the Director, International Co-operation Department, Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, said this at the opening of a two-day meeting of the National Task Force Committee, and Partners in Population and Development (PPD) on South-South Cooperation in Abuja.

Eloho said Nigeria would “continue to be appreciative of the support with the belief that UNFPA would not relent in her efforts’’.

“It is with pleasure that I applaud the dedication of the National Task Force Committee.

“The success of this committee is attributable to the commitment of various stakeholders gathered here today.

“I urge us to remain committed in carrying out our oversight functions to ensure that common goals of the PPD are realised for good to our dear nation,’’ he said.

The director said that the essence of the meeting was to discuss the implementation of the UNFPA assisted-programmes in various ministries and organisations.

He said that the meeting would ascertain progress made in the implementation of programmes, challenges encountered and proffer the way forward.

“It is also a forum for the implementing partners, the UNFPA and the ministry that coordinates all donor activities to jointly reflect on the implementation of trajectory achievement.

“It will discuss challenges and suggest ways forward for achieving a robust implementation and value for money.’’

In addition, he said that the meeting would discuss the outcome of the 2016 inter-Ministerial Conference and Board Meeting of PPP including Dakar call for Action that reaffirms the willingness and commitments.

“The meeting will accord highest urgency to post 2014 International Inter-Ministerial Conference and Population and Development (ICPD) engagement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) achievements.

“It will accord the priority to SDGs through redouble efforts to collectively address the priority population and development challenges in the context of the SDGs.’’

In his remarks, Mr Dasogot Dashe, the UNFPA Programme Analyst on Demography and Statistics, urged the participants to focus on ageing population to reap the demographic dividends.

“If Nigeria can manage its ageing population very well, Nigeria will harness the second demographic dividends and the first is for the youth.

“If you invest in the youth now, they will be empowered to work, train their own children so that they will not be burden to the government in their old age,’’ he said.

Dashe, however, commended the Ministry of Budget and National Planning for coordinating the activities of the Task Force and assured of UNFPA’s support in achieving demographic dividends.

Also speaking, Dr Emem Omokaro, Executive Director, Dave Omokaro Foundation, called for policies and programmes that would include the ageing population.

Omokaro, who made a presentation on “the need for Enhancing Institutional Capacity for Ageing Mainstreaming Development of the Training Curriculum for Ministries Department Agencies (MDA)’’, emphasised on building the MDAs.

She said that MDAs should be trained to formulate programmes and projects that would include the ageing population.

NAN reports that the National Task Force for PPD is the bridge builder in implementing the objectives of South-South Cooperation.

It seeks to implement the objectives of promoting family planning, gender, sexual reproductive health, and population and development to enhance capacity building.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reports that the meeting is being attended by more than 49 MDAs and CSOs involved in the PPD.

They include the host ministry of National Planning; Ministries of Finance, Education, Health, Agriculture, FCT and Women Affairs.

Other stakeholders were the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NAN and National Population Commission.  (NAN)

CIA/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola