BACKGROUND OF THE MAN FOR THE PLATEAU STATE 2023

Surveyor Dr. Fitka Steve Bilshakka, an erudite professional, philanthropist, astute administrator, community leader and grassroots mobilizer, and a man of the people is the leading aspirant for the governorship seat of Plateau State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress(APC). By the grace of God and with the overwhelming support of the good people of Plateau State, Dr. Fitka will be sworn-in as the Executive Governor of Plateau state on 29th May, 2023.

He is a bonafide son of Plateau state, born in a village called Ner in Pankshin on 20th March 1963. By every standard, he is firmly rooted, and is proud of his Plateau ancestry.

In other words, his personality, philosophy, vision, and mission are defined and driven by his inalienable and intricate relationship and connection with the people of Plateau State.

Consequently, over the years, he has remained strong and relevant to the political dynamics and landscape of Plateau State.

Dr. Fitka’s aspiration to be the next Governor of Plateau state is, therefore, a manifestation of his burning desire and love for the peace, progress, and development of our dear State.

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

His quest for education, and coming from a typical village setting with its attendant challenges of limited opportunities, Dr. Fitka had to overcome every obstacle with a resilient spirit to pursue education to its pinnacle. It was with this mindset that he went to the Holy Cross Primary School, Pankshin, from 1973-1978 and Nakam Memorial Secondary School, Panyam from 1978-1983, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) and GCE ‘O’ level respectively.

The quest for further education propelled him to attend the Kaduna Polytechnic, from 1986-1991, where he obtained National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) in Surveying and Mapping (Photogrammetry) respectively.

He completed his mandatory one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) between 1991 and 1992 at the Department of Survey and Mapping, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. And later employed with the same organisation in 1992.

Between 2002 and 2003, he attended the African Regional Institute for Geospatial Information Science and Technology (AFRIGIST), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and obtained a Post-Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Geographical Information System (GIS). He also acquired another Post-Graduate Diploma in Computer Science in 2000 from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, to enhance his proficiency in ICT.

With these relevant PGDs in his kitty, Dr. Fitka’s penchant for more education took him to the University of Twente, formerly ITC Enschede, Netherlands from 2008-2010 where he studied and obtained MSc in Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation with specialisation in Land administration and management and much later, between 2014 and 2018, to the University of America, Temecula, California, USA where he was crowned with Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Geo-information Science and Earth Observation.

Dr. Fitka believes that leadership is the ability to transform vision into reality. He is a philanthropist that has touched so many lives and believes so much in the biblical injunction of giving with one hand without the other hand knowing.

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Brief Background of the Man for Plateau State 2023, Surv. Dr. Fitka Steve Bilshakka