Gov. Lalong of Plateau State Actualizing his Policy Thrust with Legacy Projects

By Golok Nanmwa,Jos

Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong ,on assumption of office in his second term vowed to leave a lasting legacy in the state in line with the manifesto of his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC.)

Our correspondent report that the Lalong legacy projects, are key projects initiated by the administration to impact on the lives of the people of the state.

Most of the projects are on critical infrastructure like education, health and human development the legacy projects includes several comprehensive hospitals, several comprehensive secondary schools and eight comprehensive primary schools, all scattered across the three senatorial districts of the state.

Our correspondent who visited several sites and the jobs been carried out by Bleneson Services Nigeria Limited observed that massive constructions works are ongoing .

Most of the housing projects are about 70 percent completed .

A site Manager who does not want his name in print said construction of massive works are ongoing in most sites .

He said ” I must commend Governor Simon Lalong for his efforts in leaving behind lasting legacies for Plateau people .
Lalong is doing excellently well for the people of Plateau , i call on people of the state to support Governor Lalong .
Lalong has good plans for the people of the state .

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Speaking at the swearing in ceremony of his Commissioners some weeks ago , Lalong said ” following the return of this administration for a second term in office, I made a solemn commitment that with politics and campaigns over, we must hit the ground running in the Next Level for greater productivity. “

“Now that have been sworn in as Commissioners and taken your oath of office, you have been legally equipped to discharge your duties in your respective Ministries. Let me on behalf of the government and good people of Plateau State congratulate all of you and that you should see yourselves on this appointment as first amongst equals. This mandate however goes with huge responsibilities of service delivery to our people within the ambit of the policy thrust of the second phase of the Rescue Mission.

Shortly after securing victory for another second term, I commissioned the famous Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to undertake the task of developing a five-year Development Plan for Plateau State, which will shape our final term in office.

“After months of engagements with Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Local Government councils, the Economic Advisory Team and other stakeholders, they have since submitted their report to me.”

This document provides the roadmap for the implementation of our Next Level Rescue Agenda in serving our people effectively.

” All appointees are expected to study the document, as directed to enable them hit the ground running and stay on target in implementing our Party’s agenda and campaign promises.”

In achieving these, you are expected to ensure good synergy and working cooperation with your Permanent Secretaries, Directors and other support Staff in the machinery of government towards successful implementation of programmes and projects.

I herefore expect nothing less than loyalty, diligence, commitment, probity and accountability to our development plans within the three pillar policies of the administration, namely;Peace, Security and Good governance; Physical Infrastructural Development; and Sustainable Economic Rebirth.

I will therefore not hesitate to reprimand, chastise, query and where necessary discipline by removal from office, any of you who goes contrary to the agenda of our Rescue Government and indeed extant public service rules.”

“Certainly, to fulfil the challenges of leaving a lasting legacy, you need every support from all and sundry. However, without prejudice to your different affiliations and the right to demand for quality service and good governance, let me specially plead that relations, friends and party loyalists should not exert unnecessary pressures on your wards as these could easily derail them and have negative effects on their effective performances in service delivery.”

“Your Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen, you will agree with me that we have so much to do within the short time available to us. We are very ambitious in marketing Plateau to the World as the most favourable destination for investment and true home of peace and Tourism that it is.

“As we consolidate on the peace we have restored to Plateau State, we hope to generate more revenues to complete ongoing projects, continue implementing our legacy projects as well as create more jobs for our teeming youths and women.”

“This is why we have engaged a reputable Firm of Professionals to not only advise us on how to increase our revenue base, but also work with our Revenue Generating Agencies through the process. I urge all and sundry to cooperate with these Agencies in accomplishing positive results”.

In same vain, we shall soon hold an Economic and Investment Summit, which will also assist us to change the trajectory of Plateau to an investment destination of choice.

There are many critical infrastructure and services that require urgent attention that I expect the new Commissioners to immediately address,among them are health facilities such as the Trauma Hospital in Riyom, which was abandoned, but our administration has virtually completed and equipped it. I expect that hospital to be operational by next month, while others in Kanke and Mabudi in Langtang South should be completed and operational before April next year.

While we work on completing ongoing road projects, I am directing the Ministry of Works to immediately implement a zero tolerance to pot holes in the State, particularly in our urban roads to prevent them from further damage as well as enhance the convenience of motorists.

Waste management and refuse evacuation is also another area that requires urgent attention. I am directing the ministry of environment to immediately rid the Capital City of Jos and other urban areas of waste dumps in the interim, and also set in motion a concrete and sustainable waste disposal mechanisms that will involve all stakeholders and the private sector.

In order to ensure consistency and faithful implementation of projects and programmes of government, the Project Monitoring and Result Delivery Unit to be headed by the Chief of Staff has been created in line with the recommendations of the State Strategic Development Plan. The unit is to ensure that the state gets value for money and to track the implementation of all Projects and Programmes.

As part of our efforts to deepen transparency and ensure the prudent management of scarce resources, I have approved the setting up of a Liquidity Management Committee. This will ensure that budgetary provisions and approvals, efficient financial management and adequate project financing are built into our governance system. This is consistent with the best practices in line with our strategic plan.

We must live up to expectation and work together with the public to trace bad influence amongst our youths for possible rehabilitation through the different Ministries, Departments and Agencies. “

” All stakeholders including Government Functionaries, Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders, Party Leaders and Supporters, Women, Youths, Organized Labour and Civil Society, shall enjoy unlimited privilege of actively participating in this great enterprise of building a prosperous and progressive State. Since we are living in times of great changes, we must team up for purposeful development and progress.”

As you assume duty in your various Ministries, remember that everything you will be engaging in revolves around our three-point policy thrust and the Strategic Plan document of the Administration.”

Our correspondent report that governor started his first term by setting out a strategic plan of development for his four-year tenure. As a result, he set the state on the part of steady progress, with his five-prong policy. The policy emphasizes peace, security and good governance; human capital development and social welfare, agriculture and rural development, entrepreneurship and industrialization; as well as physical infrastructure and environment.

The success of Lalong’s first term could be attributed to the governor’s proactive approach to governance. The governor’s efforts helped put an end to incessant killings in the state. He restored peace in all the 17 local government, in clear fulfillment of the first of his strategic, development policy. The construction of over 270 roads across the state, as well as the completion of inherited infrastructural projects suggests that he has fulfilled the second of the five-point policy within his first term. In the areas of agriculture and rural development, which is the third pillar, Lalong also did well. He revived the moribund State Fertilizer Blending Plant located in Bokkos. The plant has made fertilizer readily available to farmers and this has, in turn, encouraged many more youths to return to take to farming.

It could be recalled that a 65-yr-old fish farm which had been abandoned came alive in Plateau under the Lalong led adminstation

, Panyam Fish farm in Mangu Local Government Area of the state had been in limbo for quite some time due to its being abandoned by the previous administrations in the state. The fish farm, which was established in 1950, was a big market for not only the people of Plateau State but also for neighbouring states of Nasarawa, Bauchi, Benue and Gombe.

The Lalong led adminstration on assumption of office brought back the farm alive .

Also hundreds of schools were renovated by the Lalong led adminstration in his first tenure .

Also Jos city is now wearing a new look as solar streets light were installed in almost every streets of the city .

The creation of Plateau State Small and Medium Agency has also brought in its wake massive training of millions of youths on varieties of entrepreneurial skills. This is a direct fulfillment of the governor’s fourth agenda. On the development of physical infrastructure, he completed most of the inherited projects, particularly the revival of Highland Bottling Company, the completion of Mararaba Jamaa-Secretariat Junction Road and mounting of solar-powered street lights on major streets in Jos, the state capital. These developments have, no doubt, changed the face of the Jos metropolis and boosted the status of the state tourism sector.

It could be recalled that Governor Simon Lalong also warned his Commissioners and Political appointees ,saying that he would not tolerate excuses from them as they are expected to deliver quality service to the people of the state.

” There would be no room for laziness ,lethargy , negligence and outright disregard for government directives as severe consequences await anyone who decides to sabotage our efforts “.

He made this known , while declaring open a retreat for members of the State Executive Council which took place at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS ).

The governor tasked the commissioners on loyalty, diligence, commitment, probity and accountability, noting that the attributes were crucial to the state’s development plans and key to realising the three-pillar policy thrust of the administration.

“The policy thrusts are hinged on peace, security and good governance, physical infrastructural development and sustainable economic rebirth.”

In his words “You will recall that I swore in the new Commissioners on the 7th October 2019 where I clearly stated that our Rescue Administration has so much to do within a short time and would ensure that every second counts as it delivers on its Next Level Agenda.”

” Prior to the constitution of the State Executive Council, I approved a state-wide familiarization tour of the seventeen Local Government Areas by the appointees, cutting across the three geo-political zones of the State. The successful tour provided them opportunity to interact and engage in peer review with policy makers at the grassroots.
“I also directed that the appointees study the 5-Year Plateau State Strategic Development Plan developed by the Boston Consulting Group to enable them hit the ground running and stay on target in implementing our Party’s Agenda and Campaign promises.”

“All these were preparatory to this intensive retreat .
.” I therefore expect that this retreat will take a broad look at the State of the Economy of Plateau State and discuss the plans to reposition it in line with the Economic Rebirth Vision of the Rescue Administration.”
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Lalong further said ” This gathering should also take a deep look into the challenge of raising funds that are critical to achieving the goals of our administration in delivering better living standards for our people.”
. Let me emphasize that boosting the State’s revenue generation capacity, strengthening partnerships and other aspects that are captured within the MDAs’ Medium Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) as well as the Medium Term Revenue Framework (MTRF) should be exhaustively discussed at this retreat.”
” I also expect that in this retreat, issues relating to planning, monitoring and evaluation will receive the needed attention. As a government, we cannot afford to waste valuable time and resources nor condone the culture of “waste that denies our people good life.”

“The Project Monitoring and Result Delivery Unit headed by the Chief of Staff has already been mandated to ensure that the State gets value for money and to track the implementation of all Projects and Programmes through the various Key Performance Indicators.

“The task before us is very daunting. It will require commitment, trust, sacrifice, diligence and accountability for us to meet the yearnings of our people.”

“
He further said “Peace remains fundamental to any form of development and we are ready to do everything possible to return Plateau State to its rightful position as the Home of Peace and Tourism.”

“It is also my hope that when this retreat is over, the issue of sustaining peace and security on the Plateau would have been exhaustively dealt with as you prepare to continue to giving the right kind of leadership to the entire workforce.”

“

Speaking earlier , the Secretary to the Government of the State Professor Danladi Atu said” Governor Lalong is passionate about brining massive development to Plateau .”

In his words “The task before us during the policy is not just to listen to sound presentations but to create a serene environment for reflections ,discussions and peer reviews.

Also the Lalong led Administration recently demolish some sections of the burnt Jos Main Market.
Commissioner for Commerce Abe Aku recently said ” The present administration under the leadership of the Rescue Mantra Hon Simon Lalong is the most business friendly ever .”
“The payment of salary by government has helped in injecting more than two billion naira into the economy every month and this ha sustained the life line of the economy of the state “

“The rescue adminstration through the ministry of commerce and industry has redeveloped and enhanced the Jos main market we have concluded the process of the technical transaction advisory contract and then move to the final stage which is the concession structuring options through public private partnership PPP , the Jos main market has been successfully demolished to pave way for its redevelopment . “

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Gov. Lalong of Plateau State Actualizing his Policy Thrust with Legacy Projects