Yesterday the 1st of June, the newly sworn-in governor of Plateau State approved a short list of  appointments to kick-start the administration of his government. Viewpointnigeria has been able to gather a brief profile of the newly appointed members of the Lalong Cabinet as follows:

1. Hon. Rufus Bature was appointed Secretary to the State Government. Hon. Rufus Bature is a Berom from Barkin Ladi Local Government. He was the minority leader of the Plateau State house of assembly during Senator JC Dariye’s administration as Governor. Before his recent appointment, he was a businessman and a politician.

2. John Dafa’an, Chief of Staff Government House. John Dafa’an hails from Quanpa’an local government and until his appointment was a politician and a businessman. He was once the former director of protocol Government house during Senator JC Dariye’s administration as governor and recently the deputy Governorship aspirant to Arch. PD Gyang.

3. Barrister Yusuf Gambo Hawaja, Deputy Chief of Staff Government house. Gambo Hawaja was born in Jos some 50 years ago, had his primary, secondary education in Jos, and his university at Bayero University Kano. He is a legal practitioner who joined active politics and aspired for the chairmanship of Jos North LGC in ANPP and also contested for the seat of house of reps 4 Bassa/Jos N Constituency under the defunct CPC, in 2011.  He is a bonifade member of the APC.

4. Silas Vem, Deputy Chief of Staff, Deputy Governor’s Office. Mr Silas Vem hails from Mangu local government and until his appointment was the Deputy Director at the University of Jos ICT center.

5. Professor John Wade, who was the first Vice Chancellor of Plateau State University, is to serve as Director General Research and Documentation Government House. Prof. Wade has held various positions mainly within the academia. He was once the head of department of the remedial studies at the University of Jos from where he went on to become the Provost of the College of Education Gindiri. He has been very active in politics in the last decade. Prof. Wade is from pankshin local government.

6. Cyril Tsenyil, Accountant General for plateau state  hails from Quanpa’an local government and until his appointment as accountant general, he was the director, finance and supply at the ministry of Finance, Jos.

7. Mr. Emmanuel Nanle, Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor. Mr Nanle is Mupun by tribe and hails from Pankshin  local government. He is an estate surveyor and a pastor at the Lutheran Church. He is also a lecturer at the plateau state polytechnic.

8. Cletus Kangkum , Principal Private Secretary to the Governor. Mr Kangkum is from Shendam local government and was once the secretary of the plateau state scholarship board. Before his appointment, he was the director of admin at the Jos university teaching hospital JUTH.

The appointments have so far generate mixed views from different sections of the state. While some people see the appointments as balanced, others feel the appointments appear to be a case of round pegs in square holes.

(C) vpn 2015

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A short profile of newly appointed members of the Governor’s cabinet