The Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura has pinpointed agriculture, education and rural community development as the focal points of his policy thrust for the year 2016.
The state Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Dr. Othman Ahmed, revealed this in Lafia while presenting the 2016 budget breakdown. He said the policy thrust was informed by the urgent need to diversify the economic base of the state and assured that the government would intensify efforts in agricultural development through the encouragement of commercial agricultural enterprise.
Ahmed said government has earmarked the sum of N798 million which would also be used for agricultural empowerment scheme and construction of earth dams for irrigation, fishing, livestock and domestic use in all the senatorial zones of the state.
He said the governor has declared a state of emergency in the education sector to enable government give it adequate attention at all levels, noting that the sum of N2.31 billion has been devoted for capital projects in the sector.
Other highlights in the education sector include the construction and equipping of technical workshops in Assakio, Mada Station and Agwada to promote self-reliance through skills acquisition for the teeming youths in the state.
He further disclosed that Al-Makura was committed to pursuing total development of rural communities through the provision of basic infrastructure for which N1.8 billion had been committed for capital projects within the sector. A total of N1 billion would be used for the development and reinforcement of power transmission infrastructure.
