Hon. Istifanus Dung Gyang is the Member Representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives Abuja, he is also the Vice chairman House Committee on Basic Education in this interview with Viewpoint Reporter PAM MOSES in Jos, the Lawmaker expressed dissatisfaction with the exclusion of Plateau State projects in the 2018 Budget presented to the National Assembly by President Buhari, he spoke on the expectations of his constituents and what he intend to do for his People in 2018 amongst other issues:

Their expectations are no different from what they have always been. My constituents crave development and succour from attacks which have disadvantaged them and lowered their sense of self. These are people in need of development, these are people that have suffered several terror attacks and insurgency with thousands of  lives lost, women, children, youths and the old and millions of properties destroyed. these are People that have been rendered homeless, this is also a constituency that has been characterized by abandonment of economic activities as result of these developments, but we thank God for the restoration of Peace, the expectations is for security to be strengthen for peace to stabilized, we want security to ensure the stability of peace in the Barkin Ladi and Riyom, once the security situation is stabilized the next thing is for them to be gainfully engage, and People that have been subjected to displacement in Riyom and Barkin Ladi are so many, the people need development, both Federal and State  government should strengthen security in the interior of the constituency because our people are been hunting one way of the other, those involved should be bring to back. And for them especially the youths to be gainfully engage is for them to be empowered, and they are looking up to us in leadership, their representatives to ensure they are empowered. Another thing is that all those schools affected need to rebuild for the children to be back to school because the future of the community can be only guaranty if the children have access to schools, not only school but quality education. That is why i have taken steps a apart from the other empowerment issues we have done, now we are going to take up construction of two rural markets to boast the economic activities of the people, so that is the way of providing environment for empowerment, this week we will commenced the construction of two markets in Host and Ganawuri villages for the development of women and Youths.

I have on the floor of the House through  more than five motions drawn the attention of the Government of the Federation to the flight of our people and to the fact that it is not enough for the people to be given reliefs materials we have passed that staged, and what our people need now is reconstruction, that is why we are saying that much attention has been paid to the northeast, good as it is, it should also accommodate other communities that has been subjected to displacement particularly my constituency and that is something I have advocated and will continue to advocate until practical steps are taken in that regards.

The 2018 Budget at the National Level, i will say iam not satisfied or impressed at all concerning the attention that was given to Plateau State in that budget, and that is why at the stage of appropriation we have resolved that issues that have to do with Plateau State will be given attention, if you look at critical infrastructure linking Abuja and Plateau State whereas we having dualization a cross other religions, The North Central Region there is nothing like that, and there is no better road to be dualized in this nation than the one linking Jos Abuja through Akwanga, because this is the road that links up to the North East, is a critical problem in our nation, if you also look also the main Road that links Plateau North, Central and South it is in state of disrepair, so we are making strong Case to ensure it is been captured, though it has not been captured by the Executive arm of Government, we in the National Assembly are making a strong case for the inclusion of a project that will address the non visibility of Plateau State in the 2018 Budgets.

The law should take it course, the law is there only that we lack enforcement, there are regulatory agencies and institutions that are supposed to take charge of this situations, DPR and NNPC and all the regulatory bodies are there, but there  is complicity alone the line from the Regularly body, and with the investigation by the  National Assembly I believed it will definitely bring out those that are responsible for this and the law should take it cause.

You cannot scrap regulatory agencies, there must be regulations, if you scrapped them who then regulate the industry, the issues is with those managing the institutions, is not the frame work or the institution itself, but those managing the institutions, so all we need is the right people, the right attitudes and people that are forthright, and people that are nationalistic in their mandates, People that need to delivered the soul mandate given to them by Nigerians and to obey the Law governing their responsibility.

We want to thank God Almighty for providing the atmosphere of peace in the locality, my constituents are peaceful people and is our prayer that we will continue to experience Peace in the Constituency, I most appreciate the Management Committee chairman of Riyom Local Government Hon. Emmanuel Danboyi Jugul for creating the environment for the celebration, when there is peace then there will be development and as the representative of my people iam happy to celebrate with them for the Peace that God has created for us, we need to love one another.