Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah, and former INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, say Nasarawa State’s development must provide equitable opportunities for citizens across its communities, irrespective of ethnic or religious differences.
They spoke as the state marked 30 years of its creation.
For Bishop Matthew Kukah, Nasarawa’s ethnic and religious diversity should be an asset rather than a source of division.
Speaking on Unity in Diversity: Three Decades of Building a Cohesive Nasarawa State – Issues, Challenges and Prospects, Kukah said citizens across the 13 local government areas should have a sense of belonging through equitable access to infrastructure, education, healthcare and economic opportunities.
He also stressed continuity in governance, arguing that successive administrations should build on existing projects and policies rather than abandon them.
MUST READ: 66th National Day: President Tinubu Declares “Age of Prosperity” In Nigeria
Former INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, reflected on Nasarawa’s development since its creation in 1996.
Jega said the state had made progress despite beginning with limited infrastructure and resources, while highlighting the need to sustain development.
Governor Abdullahi Sule described the anniversary as an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of previous administrations and other stakeholders.
He pledged to build on existing foundations while preserving the state’s unity and diversity.
The discussions placed inclusive governance, continuity of policies, equitable opportunities and investment in human and physical infrastructure at the centre of Nasarawa’s next phase of development.
(Follow AIT News on WhatsApp, AfricaIndependentTV on YouTube, ait_online on Facebook and X (Formerly Twitter), and officialait on TikTok, Instagram and Threads)
(Editor: Ada Ononye)
