In a significant move aimed at addressing Plateau State’s lingering security challenges, the Executive Governor, His Excellency, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has formally inaugurated the Plateau State Inter-Religious Advisory Council.
The ceremony, held at the Twin Theatre Hall, New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, brought together prominent religious and traditional leaders who are entrusted with the critical task of fostering unity, tolerance, and social cohesion across the state.
The 35-member Council is co-chaired by Reverend Pandam Yamsat, former President of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), and His Royal Highness, the Emir of Wase, Alhaji Mohammed Sambo Haruna, who also chairs the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in Plateau State. The Council is envisioned as a moral and spiritual compass to guide governance and public engagement across the state.
In his address, Governor Mutfwang underscored the importance of the Council as a strategic and enduring response to the social and moral fissures that have undermined progress in Plateau State. He emphasized that the initiative is not a knee-jerk reaction but a thoughtfully designed policy framework.
“This is not an emergency arrangement, but a well-conceived and long-planned strategy to tackle the moral and social challenges confronting our state,” the Governor stated. “We must now use religion as a force for healing, not division; for building bridges, not walls.”
He lamented the historical misuse of religion as a divisive tool, which has deepened poverty, mistrust, and underdevelopment, and charged the Council to operate with sincerity, truth, and compassion to restore public trust in peaceful communal coexistence.
“The real enemy we face is poverty, not each other,” Governor Mutfwang declared. “As long as we remain divided along religious lines, we will remain trapped in cycles of underdevelopment. It is time to unite, to rise above sectarianism, and reclaim our collective destiny.”
The Governor further warned that criminal elements thrive in environments marked by division and disunity, urging communities to remain vigilant and united against any form of manipulation or incitement.
Speaking on behalf of the Council, Reverend Pandam Yamsat expressed profound gratitude for the Governor’s visionary leadership. He pledged the Council’s unwavering commitment to its mandate, describing it as a “beacon of hope” grounded in prayer, transparency, and inclusive dialogue.
Also speaking, the Secretary to the State Government, Arc. Samuel Jatau, commended the initiative, noting that religious and ethnic divisions have long impeded Plateau’s progress.
He urged the Council to serve as a model of integrity and to champion peace and reconciliation across all communities.
The Inter-Religious Advisory Council will serve a consultative and advisory role, providing the government with guidance on policies and actions that promote interfaith harmony, community security, and sustainable development.
Its inauguration marks a bold and renewed commitment by the Mutfwang administration to rebuild Plateau State as a land of peace, unity, and shared prosperity.
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