NGAS Development Association.

About NGAS Development Association.

The association of Ngas as a Nation in a modern setting started in the sixties,, when police commissioner Joseph Deshi Gomwalk was the Governor of the Benue Plateau State from 1967 – 1976.

At that time there was a “Gantang” (a Conference room). Commissioner Joseph D, Gomwalk used to meet with elders in the “Gatang” on a regular basis and any decision taken in the Gantang was binding to all Ngas people.

A Constitution for the Ngas Development Association was produced but the take off of the association was made very difficult because of internal strife mainly between the Hill Ngas and the Plain Ngas. Therefore the formation of the NDA remained in Limbo until the non-Ngas within the then Pankshin Local Government Area started associating among themselves with the formation of “Club 6” which was followed by a publication titled “Let My People Go” by the then speaker of the House of assembly Professor Dakun Shown. They claimed that the Ngas were feudal Lords and were marginalising the non-Ngas.

This brought the Ngas out of their Limbo and efforts were revived to form the Ngas Development Association (NDA). About that time, Ngas youth formed a Ngas Youth Movement (NYM) under the leadership of Barrister Wakdun Gomwalk as its first President. This created a great deal of awareness in the Ngas people and a great attempt was made to put the NDA in place. The leadership of the NYM was passed to Chief John Gobak who intensified, the quest for formation of the NDA. The leadership of the NYM passed on to Nde Emmanuel Manasn who convened a youth congress that decided to stage a cultural festival tagged “PUSDUNG” (a day of great gathering) a name suggested by Mr. Peter Tungon. This led to the staging of an all Ngas festival for the first time in contemporary history, in April 1988.

Meetings initiated by NYM was followed by a congress and Dr. Gochedang Barde was unanimously elected as the first President of the Ngas Development Association (NDA) in January 1989.

Since 1989 there have been 6 (Six) sets of the National Executive Councils of the NDA each contributing in solidifying the association.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES OF NGAS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (NDA)

1.	To foster the spirit of love, brotherhood and togetherness among Ngas people.
2.	To work towards achieving a common goal of even development of Ngas land by encouraging communal self-help efforts.
3.	To create in the Ngas person a sense of awareness of the needs and problems of the Ngas land and of his immediate environments with a view to finding solutions.
4.	To promote the socio-cultural, linguistic, economic and educational advancement of Ngas people.
5.	To support and co-operate with any association, organisation or bodies whose aims and interest are similar to those of the association.
6.	To offer constructive advice to government and its agencies.

ACHIEVEMENT OF NGAS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (NDA)

1.	Enhanced unity among Ngas people and good relationship with other tribal associations.
2.	The establishment of the Ngas Community Bank now Ngas Microfinancethereby increasing the economic activities of the people.
3.	Fornication of functional Branches of the Association throughout the country and aboard for those in the Diaspora.
4.	Promotion of Ngas culture through an annual festival tagged “Pusdung”.
5.	Covering of a National Conference which brought out a blueprint for the progress of the Ngas Nation.
6.	Support for the disabled with wheelchairs.
7.	Using the decisions arrived at during the Ngas National Conference to ensure that for the first time, a Ngas Senator is elected for the Plateau Central Senatorial Zone.