“The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone” – Psalm 118:22
Akwanga, headquarters of Akwanga Local Government Area in Nasarawa State is fast emerging as a cosmopolitan metropolis, a melting point of diverse culture and peoples drawn from across the length and breathe of Nigeria.
From the predominant tribes of Mada, Eggon, Rindre and Kantana, Akwanga presently bustles with diverse groups such as Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, amongst several others.
On the political scope, Akwanga has before now produced two deputy governors namely Chief John Micheal Abdul and Silas Ali Agara, as well as a minister of the Federal Republic in the name of the late Alhaji Hussaini Zanwa Akwanga, one time Minister of Labour and Productivity.
Akwanga, now the headquarters of the Nasarawa North senatorial district, once featured as the favourite to emerge the capital of the present Nasarawa State and is a cidetal of learning mostly because of the presence of schools and educational facilities in the area.
Since the dawn of the present democratic dispensation, Akwanga metropolis has continously witness gradual growth and expansion in terms of growing population, as well as residential and commercial properties.
Akwanga has previously nestled tenaciously around the ancient Jos-Makurdi and Abuja-Jos roads confluencing at the centre of the town at the Akwanga Roundabout.
A noticeable effort to open up the metropolis was kickstarted during the immediate past administration of Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura following the construction of three township roads namely the Access Bank-A.A. Koto link, Wamba Road-Chun Mada Palace Road and Akwanga Central Primary School-Wamba Road link.
For a growing community such as Akwanga, with the increasing population attributable to the influx by Nigerians into Abuja, the Akwanga metropolis has however remained essentially rustic and largely underdeveloped.
Not until 2019 with the dawn of the administration of His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Sule, an indigene of Akwanga who is the first executive governor of Nasarawa State of Nasarawa North extraction. The politics of his emergence and subsequent victories during both the 2019 and 2023 governorship elections are indeed unique and unprecedented, especially against the backdrop that some citizens of Akwanga never wanted him to become governor.
Since his assumption of office in 2019, Governor Sule, who is not disposed to making noise, committed himself to actializing his vision to transform particularly the Akwanga metropolis with a view to elevating the status of the city.
In a way, and from what can be seen presently in terms of development in Akwanga, it is safe to say that Governor Sule is turning out to be the stone the builders rejected that is now the head cornerstone transforming the metropolis.
Of course, there would still be those who would persist in their staunch opposition against his being governor, insisting that there is nothing to show in terms of development especially in Akwanga. But the discerning mind would readily agree that with Governor Sule at the helm of affairs, Akwanga is currently undergoing extraordinary transformation.
The Akwanga Modern Market, initiated and constructed by the Governor Sule administration, stands at the heart of Akwanga, offering 52 locked shops, 54 open market stalls, 26 warehouses, an administrative block, toilet facilities, a security post, parking lot, and a restaurant, among other amenities. The project, valued at N349m, addresses the growing population and socio-economic challenges faced by the ancient town.
The neighborhood market strategically contributes to the socio-economic well-being of Akwanga by curbing indiscriminate roadside trading, which has often been a source of nuisance in the town. The modern market not only enhances the visual appeal of Akwanga but also provides a conducive and organized space for businesses to thrive, marking a significant positive shift in the town’s landscape.
The remodelled Akwanga Youth Centre named after a prominent son of Akwanga, Elder Suleiman Jakonda, was constructed in 1978 and last renovated in 1998, with the remodelled facility now boasting of a large multi-purpose hall, accommodation rooms, operational offices, restaurant, and alternative power generating set.
It would be recalled that the Nasarawa State Government contracted the Akwanga Youth Centre to an indigenous company, Kreaco Engineering Nigeria Limited, on 26th April, 2023, at a cost of N187,676,106.00.
Also, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje was at hand to commission the remodelled Akwanga VIP Lodge, with Governor Sule explaining that his administration initiated the project in order to boost socio-economic activities and improve the well-being of the people of Akwanga and the Nasarawa State at large.
Ganduje also inaugurated 1.7km intracity roads namely Dankanzo Link, Baba Alago Street, and Central Mosque Road, all in within the Akwanga metropolis.
Former governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu who commissioned the remodelled Akwanga Youth Centre also inaugurated another intracity road named after his biological mother, Hajiya Halima Sulaiman Rabiu who lived most of her life in Akwanga and contributed to the development of the city.
Indeed, even a blind man could testify to the fact that presently, Akwanga is undergoing unprecedented transformation. At least, for now, such a blind man would have encountered several emcumberances hindering his otherwise smooth vehicular movement in the ancient cosmopolitan town.
The Akwanga Modern Market has indeed reduce congestion on the ever busy Keffi Road but Governor Sule has a better idea that would eliminate permanently the traffic congestion on that road leading to the centre of the city and serving as a feeder road to the northern and southeastern parts of the country.
The Governor’s vision to open up the centre of the city received a positive nod after the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi approved the plans submitted by the Nasarawa State Government for the dualisation of the Akwanga township road, commencing from the Ismaila Abbas filling station to link with the Abuja-Lafia expressway.
The project is being funded wholly by the Nasarawa State Government.
Infact, following the approval by the Federal Ministry of Works for his administration to start the work, Governor Sule promptly approved 50 percent of the contract sum to enable the contractor handling the project to immediately commence work.
“We have done something that we don’t usually do. When we give a contract, we usually give the contractor 30 percent mobilization. But because Nasarawa State is blessed now, just like so many other places, as a result of improved revenue, I approved 50 percent of the money to the contractor to ensure that he will do this work in time.
“That would give him the opportunity to buy all the materials to be able to do something. I told him before I come back from my trip that I want to see some significant amount of work that is being done,” he stated.
With Akwanga, a bustling city at the intersection of various routes from the North East and South East, for long grappling with the challenges of congestion, and littering, the dualization of the township road, construction of an underpass, as well as a befitting roundabout in the city centre stand out as the most ambitious efforts to give Akwanga metropolis the desired face-lift.
Also as part of the Governor’s vision to open up the metropolis for further developments and industrialization, the administration is embarking on additional ambitious road projects aimed at creating more space for both residential and industrial activities.
Governor Sule recently inspected ongoing work on one of such ambitious project, the New Akwanga bypass project starting from Nsakpe Alushi junction linking Mada Hills Bridge on the Jos-Akwanga highway.
Another road being considered by the Governor is the Alushi bypass linking up with the Akwanga-Lafia expressway at the Ende Hills.
It is envisioned that by opening up the Akwanga metropolis, people would be attracted to build more residential houses, commercial and industrial activities would also be boosted further.
Considering the commitment and disposition of the Governor towards all the ongoing projects in Akwanga and other parts of the state, Akwanga metropolis would certainly assume a new look befitting a cosmopolitan metropolis that is in a hurry to catch up with development particularly at the nearby Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Abare is the Special Assistant on Media to the Governor of Nasarawa State.
