COMMITTEE
ON THE CREATION OF ADDITIONAL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SUBMITS REPORT
The
Panel set up by the Nasarawa State Government to consider the desirability or
otherwise of creating additional Local Government Areas has submitted its report
urging Government to create additional Local Government Areas with a view to
opening up the rural communities.
Submitting
the report to the State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu at the new Government
House Complex, Chairman of the panel, Vice Admiral Hussein Abdullahi (rtd) said
that based on the enthusiasm and anxiety displayed by the people in the course
of their assignment, the panel was convinced that the creation of additional
Local Government Areas would not only open up the rural areas, but also boost
their economic and political transformation, growth and development.
The
chairman of the panel disclosed that the panel, having requested for memoranda
from communities demanding the additional LGAs soon after their inauguration on
20th July, received a total of 78 requests from various communities
in respect of the exercise.
He
explained that out of the number, 46 were for the creation of additional LGAs,
17 for mergers and boundary adjustment, while 9 were against mergers. Vice Admiral Abdullahi said that apart from the thorough
study of the requests, the panel also visited all the LGAs in the State on a
fact-finding exercise during which oral presentations were taken from
representatives of committees that submitted memoranda, while all the proposed
LGAs were visited and their facilities inspected.
The
Chairman said that altogether, the panel visited a total of 35 urban and
semi-urban towns designated as headquarters of the proposed LGAs, and the
members were surprised at the great potentials, both in terms of human and
material resources that exist in almost every part of the State.
The
report, according to the chairman, contained recommendations as to how many
additional LGAs were to be created and where, pointing out that the panel in
making the recommendations, considered the need not to overburden the young
state with financial demands as a result of too many LGAs when it requires a lot
of financial resources to lay a solid foundation for the future.
While thanking the Governor and his administration for giving them the
chance to serve in the committee, the chairman hoped that the State Government
would find their report a useful guide.
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