NASARAWA STATE

TANKO AL-MAKURA: PULLING BELOW HIS WEIGHT

Re-elected two years ago, Tanko Al-Makura’s second term reflects the seeming complacency that followed his first term, as he lurched from one controversy to the other to the detriment of the state. Al-Makura’s second stint has been mired in frequent clashes with labour unions over unpaid salaries, among other issues.

From the onset of his second term, he was greeted with a protracted industrial crisis by the academic union at the Nasarawa State University in Keffi, leading to the closure of the institution for about nine months. The Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), National Union of Teachers and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) have all also taken turns to embark on industrial actions.

Notwithstanding the turbulent industrial relations environment, he started some new projects, including the controversial cargo airport in Lafia and the construction of township roads across the state. When THISDAY visited the site of the Cargo Airport last week, which was flagged off with much fanfare recently, nothing of note had been achieved.

Despite its proximity to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Al-Makura has failed to leverage on this comparative advantage for his state. He has failed to ensure that PAYE taxes of hundreds of thousands of workers who work in Abuja but live in satellite towns in Nasarawa, are paid to the of his state’s coffer. The absence of adequate infrastructure and industrial hubs in Nasarawa has made the state an unattractive investment destination for businesses that can service Abuja.

With Al-Makura’s inability to catapult the state to its full potential, it is little wonder that Nasarawa is fast becoming one of the unviable sub-national units of the federation.