Governor Lalong meets Kenyan deputy President Williams Ruto, concludes visit
By Golok Nanmwa,Jos

Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong has concluded his
visit to Kenya with a meeting with the Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto in
Nairobi.

A statement signed by Dr. Makut Simon Macham ,Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor of
Plateau State made available to newsmen in Jos reads that Governor Lalong who was hosted to a dinner by the Deputy President at his official residence told his host that he was in Kenya on behalf of Nigerian Northern Governors Forum on the invitation of the Kenyan Council of Governors who are desirous of creating a peer review relationship.

He said Nigeria and Kenya share very cordial relationship at
the highest level as demonstrated by Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Uhuru
Kenyatta which could be further exploited with the relationship between
Governors of the two countries.

He also explained that the visit has afforded him opportunity
to identify areas of mutual interest in business and peer review learning that
could be exploited for the good of the citizens of both countries using the
Platforms of the Northern States in Nigeria and Counties in Kenya.

Lalong told the Deputy President Ruto that he visited several
counties and discussed opportunities in agriculture, tourism, entertainment,
tea and flower production, human capital development among others.

“For a long time we have been ignoring the potentials within
the continent and flying to other continents such as Europe, America, and China
in search of solutions that could easily be obtained from sister countries in Africa who share
similar characteristics with us. Issues such as farming, conflicts resolution,
cooperatives, small scale industries and value addition could easily be shared
between us with more results than those from cultures and paradigms that are
very distant from ours” he said.

He also made a special appeal to the Deputy President Ruto to
facilitate the acquisition of 2 Rhinos from Kenya for the Jos Wild Life Park in
Plateau State.

He explained that the State wants to acquire it in line with
the request of the 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army situated in Jos
with Rhino as its symbol.

Deputy President Ruto appreciated the visit of Governor
Lalong to Kenya which he described as not only timely but a game changer in
relations between the two countries.

He described as unfortunate the low volume on trade and
person to person exchanges between Africans which he said was undermining
development and growth.

He said “there is an erroneous notion that when we talk about
investment in Africa, it has to come from Europe, Asia, America or other parts
of the world except the continent. It is only us that can solve our problems
using solutions that are common to us. Your visit to our County Governors is
the beginning of that exchange that we shall very soon see the benefits”

He promised to work with the Nigerian High Commission in
Kenya towards facilitating the request of the Governor for 2 Rhinos, a process
he says is cumbersome but not impossible.

Governor Lalong was accompanied to the meeting with the
Deputy President by the Secretary to the Government of Plateau State Prof.
Danladi Atu, Governor of Kericho County Prof. Paul Chepkwony, Nigerian High
Commissioner to Kenya Amb. Seidu Momoh as well as President of Nigerians in
Diaspora Organisation Kenya, Prof. Pam D. Gyang.

The Plateau State Governor also met with the Chairman of the
Kenyan Council of Governors Wycliffe Ambesta Oparanga to review the visit where
both expressed delight over the new engagement.

Lalong promised to report back to his colleagues back home
and also work out modalities for a return visit by the Kenyan Governors in
order to consolidate the relationship.

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Governor Lalong meets Kenyan deputy President Williams Ruto, concludes visit