OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR
PLATEAU STATE.
P.M.B. 2069, Little Rayfield, Jos, Plateau State
www.plateaustategov.org

ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF PLATEAU STATE, RT. HON. SIMON BAKO LALONG, ON THE OCCASION OF WORKING VISIT TO THE STATE BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI, GCFR.

PROTOCOL.
Today is a memorable day in the annals of our history as we warmly receive and welcome His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR who is on a working visit to Plateau State. This visit is a home-coming for the President, having once served here as the General Officer Commanding the 3rd Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army. It is indeed a great honour and privilege to us that Mr. President is coming to the State to share in the challenges encountered, as well as the gains and successes recorded by the Rescue Administration since its inception in about three years ago. Most importantly, with the warmth and hospitality of the State and its peace-loving people we assure you of the peace, friendliness and harmony that exist among the teeming citizens.

Mr. President, distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, during your short stay in the State, you will also notice that we have made some modest achievements in critical sectors of the economy. Many of these positive thresholds are courtesy of the effective synergy between us as a State and the Federal Government under your able leadership.  
HOW WE MET THE STATE.

Mr. President, when this administration came on board on 29th May 2015, the scenario in the State was that of despondency, despair and discomfort, as the citizens were groaning under varying degrees of adverse socio-political and economic conditions. The citizenry was even further plunged into life-threatening insecurity challenges with many lives lost and properties wantonly destroyed in the wake of crises and sporadic attacks. On the economic front this spectacle of instability had drastically affected the economic well-being of our enterprising women and youth group. For the common man, life was very challenging as the government then became helpless. 

Even more pathetic was the backlog of workers’ salaries as Civil Servants were owed arrears of eight (8) months salary, Teachers were owed seven (7) months and most pathetic too was unpaid Pensions of over twelve (12) months and thirteen (13) in some Local Governments. We also met a seriously demoralized Civil Service characterized by low performance and productivity due to neglect of staff welfare and training. This gloomy scenario was in the face of a staggering debt profile of over two hundred and twenty two billion Naira (N222,000,000,000), which we inherited. The prospects of getting out of these tragic spectacles at first looked almost impossible, were it not for our resilience and Mr. President’s timely interventions in critical areas of need.

OUR GAINS AND SUCCESSES.

Mr. President, commissioning some of our projects today is a testament of our determination to succeed in the face of dwindling resources and competing demands. The secret behind this success story also lies in our vision, commitment, trust, painful sacrifice and judicious use of limited resources. It may also interest Mr. President to know that the 5-Pillar Policy Thrust of my administration has remained the Trojan horse on which we rode towards tackling the enormous developmental challenges confronting us in this State. These Policy Thrusts include Peace, Security and Good Governance; Human Capital Development and Social Welfare; Agriculture and Rural Development; Entrepreneurship and Industrialization, and Physical Infrastructure and Environment. These policy thrusts are targeted at meeting the peculiar developmental aspirations of the Plateau citizens, while taking into consideration contemporary economic challenges and our new normal in the areas of Agriculture, Mining and Tourism. 

In counting our gains and successes, I confirm that we have made modest achievements in critical sectors of the economy from the array of completed or on-going projects. We awarded contracts for sixteen (16) rural roads and six (6) urban roads, at a total cost of forty six billion Naira (N46,000,000,000), all spread across the three geo-political or senatorial zones of the State. Our health delivery system is being revived to near efficiency. Our educational institutions from the critical foundation stage of primary through secondary and tertiary stages have been revived and our children and wards now learn under relatively conducive atmosphere. The lives of our Civil Servants and Retirees have remarkably improved as they now promptly receive their salaries and pensions without any outstanding, thereby ensuring the desired industrial harmony. Our farmers have been enjoying bumper harvests and get good prices for their products. Above all, our much cherished peace has returned and all legitimate activities have picked up.

During the period under review, we have made judicious use of the Bailout Funds and Paris Club Refunds to a great advantage. Today, Plateau State remains one of the few States in the country that has paid workers’ salaries and pensions up-to-date. This administration has commenced Payment of gratuities, which was neglected for several years. We have also commenced payment of the four (4) months arrears of salaries of the “no work, no pay” rule enforced by the immediate past administration.

In the area of industrialization, we have made tremendous efforts towards the revival of moribund industries abandoned for decades. These include the Fertilizer Blending Plant in Bokkos; the Jos International Breweries Ltd; Highland Bottling Company, Barkin Ladi; and the Panyam Fish Farm. We have also repurchased the multi-billion Naira Brewery Agro Research Company (BARC) Farms Ltd at Zalaki and plans are underway to put it to optimal use. We have also reached final stage of reconstructing the burnt Jos Ultra-Modern Market.

Furthermore, when we came on board, we inherited several abandoned and uncompleted projects. In order to make a difference, we embraced the principle of continuity in governance and made a clean break from the usual tradition of ignoring projects initiated by previous administration. Mr. President, you may wish to know that most projects abandoned at great cost are today, either nearing completion or have been completed. A case in point is the Interchange flyover or overhead bridge at the State Secretariat Junction, with slip roads and underpass awarded at a cost of about N4.7 billion, which we inherited at about 30% work stage but made it motorable within the first 100 days of the administration and it is now completed.

The road construction from Jos Wildlife Park to Rafiki Junction and rehabilitation of the Miango junction road project, covering 19.5 kilometers at total sum of about N2.8 billion have brought ease of life to the people; just as the on-going construction of Angwan Rogo Road network with a spur and bridge linking Hawan Idi and Ali Kazaure covering 6 kilometers at about N1.5 billion is expected to bring succour to the citizenry.

A remarkable achievement of this administration also is the construction and resurfacing of the Mararaban Jama’a to British America Junction on the Yakubu Gowon Road. It is a major Federal dual carriageway of six lanes, covering 22 kilometers, constructed on full specifications that comprise stone base, binder and wiring course at a cost of about N10.6 billion. As an honour to Mr. President, on behalf of the good people of Plateau State, I had approved the naming of Mararaban Jama’a to Ta’en Junction, Bukuru as “MUHAMMADU BUHARI WAY”.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS.

Mr. President, the Federal Government under your able leadership has demonstrated commitment and genuine intentions to the realization of the Nigerian Project. These are reflected in your key interventions as well as pragmatic policies and programmes.  Your prompt response to our pleas for intervention through the gracious release of over eight hundred billion Naira (N800,000,000,000) bailout funds to all the States including Plateau, and eventual release of Paris Club refunds have dramatically helped us. You deserve a standing ovation for this uncommon patriotic action (all stand up for the standing ovation).

Also, your administration’s commitment to issues of infrastructural development, poverty reduction, economic growth, promotion of security and fight against corruption has placed the country on the path of sustainable development in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.

From the perspective of Federal Government interventions, pragmatic policies and programmes, the task of meeting the expectations of the people under economic recession is enormous. In spite of this negative trend, your administration has positively impacted on lives of teeming Nigerians. We in Plateau State sincerely appreciate your prompt interventions in the following areas, amongst others: 1). Security – Establishment and expansion of Mobile Police Unit in the Southern Senatorial zone as proactive measures in abating numerous security threat or challenges. 2). Agriculture – the Anchor-Borrowers’ Scheme and the Potato Value Support Chain; 3). Economic Empowerment – the Social Intervention Programme/Social Safety Net (N-Power Scheme and Conditional Cash Transfers); 4). Roads -the on-going construction of the Pankshin-Tapshin-Gambar-Sara-Kai-Gindiri Road; 5). Education – several TETFUND interventions in some of our tertiary institutions such as the Plateau State University Bokkos; College of Education, Gindiri and the Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi; 6). The Home Grown School Feeding Programme; 7). Health, which involves several interventions like the National Immunization Programme; 8). World Bank-assisted programmes like “Save One Million Lives” towards improving health care delivery service, and combatting killer diseases; and 9). In particular, the highly commendable expenditure framework of your 2018 Budget of Consolidation has truly underscored your administration’s efforts in revamping dilapidated infrastructure, reflating the economy through the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), investing in People, creating a competitive global economy and confronting insecurity and insurgency.

It is also worthy to commend Mr. President’s effort in fighting corruption in a manner that has greatly improved Nigeria’s global ranking on the Corruption Index. As a State, we have since keyed into this patriotic endeavour by lodging complaints with the relevant agencies (the EFCC and the ICPC) against several cases of corruption by some past Government Officials.

OUR PASSIONATE APPEALS.

Your Excellency, without prejudice to limited resources in the face of competing demands, we are a State in dear need of your interventions in view of the peculiarities of our developmental aspirations. I therefore appeal for more attention to Plateau State in the areas of infrastructural development, economic empowerment of our women and youths, job creation, peace and security, which are core components of your development agenda. In Plateau State, there are several Federal Government Projects that require urgent attention. These include the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH); the Lafia-Shendam-Ibi road; the Vom-Manchok-Kaduna road; the Shendam-Kwalla-Doemak-Teng-Wamba road; the Pankshin-Langtang-Garkawa-Yelwa-Ibi road and the Mangu multi-billion Naira Water Project.

The State has committed over twenty billion Naira (N20,000,000,000) to various federal government road projects, of which only one billion, two hundred million Naira (N1,200,000,000.00) was reimbursed. We are therefore pleading for your kind consideration for intervention towards total refund. We also request for the federal government intervention in payment of Royalties from mining companies. These reimbursements will further energize us in mobilizing funds for more service delivery to the citizenry.

In the agricultural sector, we commend the efforts of the Federal Government Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) in encouraging synergy with Fertilizer Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN). As a fertilizer producing state, we appeal for greater support to help us sustain the domestic blending of NPK fertilizer. Similarly, given the strategic importance of Plateau State in exotic crop production and our recent recognition and obtaining funding facilities for mass production of high quality Irish Potatoes, we wish to request that the Federal Government consider upgrading the Potato Research Center in the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) to a full-fledged Potato Research Institute.

Mr. President, I would lend my voice to the national concerns being raised about the increasing spate of systematic and premeditated violence by suspected herdsmen on innocent citizens in some parts of the country, including Plateau State. This national tragedy calls for a serious, prompt and proactive measures. We are amongst the first generation of states that witnessed violent attacks and clashes that has left us with large number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). We have also been host to thousands of victims as IDPs from other states like Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Kaduna and Yobe, without commensurate support. I appeal to Mr. President for kind consideration and special funding support to complement our efforts in being our brothers’ keeper. The support of the federal government will go a long way to prove to our people that the Buhari led administration is deeply interested in the affairs of our state, knowing full well that there has never been any federal government led post conflict intervention in Plateau state of the scale we see in other parts of the country.

While we commend Mr. President for rising up to the challenge by setting up the Vice President Osinbajo 10-Member Working Committee on Farmers/Herdsmen Conflicts, it is our sincere hope and prayer that this hydra-headed monster would be nipped in the bud.

Similarly, as gateway to the North East, we wish to request for dualization and construction of the road from Abuja to Jos, given the economic viability and conveniences. In fact, being a gateway to the Federal Capital from both the North-West axis of Kano and Jigawa as well as the entire North-East, which even extends to the South-East and South-South, the traffic density is high. Executing this project will massively ease the movement of goods and compliment the presence and vast potential of the dry Inland Container Depot at Heipang.

A very critical area of request for synergy and intervention is the imperative for a major Trauma Services and Centre along the Hawan Kibo area being envisaged by my administration. It is our desire to upgrade the Riyom General Hospital to Trauma Center. Hawan Kibo, so named with reference to the steep hills is an axis of Federal Road but a black spot that has unenviable reputation for frequent road accidents, claiming the lives of many citizens. The casualties are due to lack of facilities and untimely intervention in handling critical injuries, which are life-threatening. Such major Trauma Centres are usually set up to provide specialized trauma care and rehabilitation. Presently, there is only one major centre in Nigeria located at the National Hospital Abuja.

From available crash reports of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in the past one year, about 100 crashes resulting in several deaths have been recorded. Pre hospital care currently provided by the FRSC with an accident clinic at Hawan Kibo serve as a local trauma unit, but is severely incapacitated.

Mr. President, in the course of your working visit, you are being hosted to a heart-warming Town Hall Meeting where eminent Nigerians and relevant stakeholders from all spheres of human endeavour in the State would take the opportunity to rub minds with you on topical issues that have direct bearings on our national development agenda. It is my hope and expectation that such interaction would enable us to jointly work out a template for consolidating our national development agenda.

OUR ROADMAP TO PEACE.

Mr. President, distinguished, guest Ladies and Gentlemen, most significant in our success story is the peace initiative we took that helped us progress in the governance and developmental aspects. You will recall that Plateau state has had its fair share experience of violent conflict, which also took a massive toll on the socio-economic development of the state. The impact of this horrific experience in terms of both human and material loss has been quite devastating and profound. More than seven thousand lives were lost, with homes, livelihoods and communities destroyed in a period spanning over a decade. The pattern of state and Federal responses to conflicts in the past were at best reactionary often revolving between the setting up of commissions of inquiry and wide range of ad-hoc security arrangements meant to restore law and order. While this approach may have yielded some short-term results during the conflict, yet it has failed to arrest the vicious cycle of violence that had become the persistent plight of our people for over fifteen years.

In an effort to end the growing security challenges we met, my administration established a strong institutional and legal framework, namely, the Plateau Peace Building Agency. It is the first of its kind to be adopted by any state government in Nigeria. The function of the Peace Building Agency is to foster Peace through mutual cooperation and understanding with a view to ensure amicable resolution of conflicts as well as the harmonious co-existence of all citizens, regardless of ethnic, religious and political backgrounds.

The Plateau Peace Building agency has developed a Five-Year Strategic Plan, through a carefully facilitated benchmarking exercise that harnessed the contributions of stakeholders. Through the implementation of this strategic framework we hope to maintain a steady progress in our journey from fragile to stable Peace. Consequently, we are compelled to humbly request for intervention from, and collaborative partnerships with the Federal government that will assist the state through the Peace Building Agency to fully implement the conflict transformation and Peace building activities to Peace document. To complement and support the efforts of security agencies, government has procured fifty three (53) security vehicles equipped with communication gadgets for distribution to all the seventeen (17) Local Government Areas.

One of the major highlights of His Excellency’s official visit to Plateau state therefore is to unveil this strategic document in view of its potential for Peace and Security in our state and across Nigeria. It is therefore my singular honor and privilege to welcome His Excellency, the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal of Nigeria to officially launch the Plateau State Roadmap to Peace.

Finally, on behalf of the Government and people of Plateau State, I once more warmly welcome President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and his entourage to Plateau State, the Home of Peace and Tourism.

Thank you and God bless.

Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong.
Executive Governor.

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Gov. Lalong Address on the Occasion of President Buhari Official Visit to Plateau State