By Samson Obande,  Lafia

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has said his administration’s focus on security, investment, infrastructure and social services has strengthened the state’s development since 2019.

Governor Sule stated this on Thursday at Lafia Square during the ceremonial parade marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary and the 30th anniversary of the creation of Nasarawa State.

“When I assumed office in 2019, I understood that the office of governor is a temporary responsibility entrusted to me by the people. I have always regarded leadership as a trust, not a position,” he said.

Reflecting on the creation of the state on October 1, 1996, the governor paid tribute to the founding fathers and others who campaigned for its creation, saying their vision was to build a state where diverse communities could live in peace and enjoy greater opportunities.

On security, Governor Sule said the state had strengthened collaboration with federal security agencies and provided logistics to support their operations. He disclosed that the Federal Government had deployed 10 Brigade Nigerian Army, three battalions and an artillery regiment to the state.

He said his administration had also attracted investments in mining, agriculture and real estate through the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy and the Nasarawa State Investment and Development Agency (NASIDA), including two lithium processing companies.

The governor listed interventions in healthcare, education and agriculture, including free medical outreaches, expansion of health insurance coverage for vulnerable citizens, construction and rehabilitation of schools, recruitment of teachers and distribution of farm inputs and machinery.

He said the government had established state farms and the Nasarawa Agro Commodity Company (NASACCO) to promote production and value addition in rice, sesame, maize and cassava, leading to the introduction of “Nasarawa Rice.”

On youth empowerment, Sule urged young people to take advantage of vocational and technical institutions established by his administration.

“I urge all our serious-minded youth to take advantage of the opportunities of these skill acquisition institutions that we have established, instead of focusing on TikTok and Facebook,” he said.

The governor also announced the exercise of his constitutional prerogative of mercy, granting pardon and other forms of clemency to selected inmates who had demonstrated remorse and readiness to reintegrate into society.

He called for continued cooperation among citizens and government, stressing that the responsibility for building the state belonged to all generations.

“30 years ago, our founding fathers gave us a state. The generation that followed them started building the foundation. Our generation added on the foundation by creating the development we see today. The responsibility belongs to the next generation to take a step further even higher,” he said.