By Nanmwa Golok

Plateau Regeneration Group has said that Gov Simon Lalong of Plateau state has not failed the people of the state since he took over as governor of the state about 27 months ago. The group in a statement signed by the Public relations officer Wesley Shaka and made available to newsmen in Jos at the weekend also said” Lalong has done excellently well and is keying into the mandate of the All Progressive Congress APC which is to better the lives of citizens of the country .”

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Plateau has done well by returning peace to the state, and has earned the support of majority of the people and initiated development projects across the 17 local government areas .” Gov Lalong has reinvented governance in Plateau state in a manner that has astounded even his opponents ” Lalong has re-engineered a relieving pace of peace and tranquillity on the Plateau “.

“We commend our governor for this good works as he has proven that he is a man of the people .” The statement also reads that “To change the fortunes of Plateau State citizenry, Lalong had on assumption of office in May, 2015 unveiled his ‘’rescue mission’’ agenda anchored on five policy pillars.” “Our governor identified the five issues as tackling the issues of peace, security and good governance; human capital development and social welfare; entrepreneurship and industrialization; physical infrastructure and environment “.

“As a group we commend our governor for restructuring the civil service to help actualise the vision of the state government and also for facilitating the promotion of over 7,000 senior staff who had not been promoted for many years due to the embargo placed on such exercise by the last administration.” “Apart from rehabilitation and construction of roads, many projects were executed in the last two years in the state by the Lalong administration .”

In the Justice Ministry, over “82 criminal cases were received from different justice sectors of which legal advice has been proffered, 75 criminal cases were filed within the period, 150 cases have been disposed of and 40 convictions obtained and in the area of civil litigation, 38 cases have been disposed of and 778 are pending in various courts.”

Also acknowledging that the traditional institution is a key part of peace process in the State, the government ensured that vacant traditional stools are filled.” “In the area of Commerce and Industry, the Simon Lalong led administration has entered into partnership with various firms to “resuscitate the burnt Jos main market, the Jos International Breweries, JIB, the Kabong market, Highland Bottling Company and the Inland Container Depot.’’

“The Lalong led administration has done well in providing fertilizer and improved seedlings to farmers in Plateau and we predict a bumper harvest at the end of this farming season “. “To tackle the issue of water scarcity in our state , the Plateau Ministry of Water Resources and Energy had resuscitated three water treatment plants in Shendam, Pankshin and Bokkos even as several kilometres of old water pipelines are being replaced/repaired within the Jos/Bukuru metropolis.

Also, 340 boreholes have been drilled in Riyom and Shendam and this is being supported by the EU-UNICEF Project through the Plateau Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency.” “The Housing and Urban Development sub-sector is not left behind as the administration is completing projects inherited from the last administration even as it has remodelled the Plateau State Governor’s Lodge at Asokoro, Abuja which has been furnished and occupied.

“Lalong has also done well in boosting sports in Plateau as the state owned football team Plateau United is doing excellently well .” “Government has acquired five hectares of land at Lamingo, Jos for the new national housing project. Compensation has been paid and title issued to the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing preparatory to the commencement of the project.

And to promote public health, the administration procured five ambulances and distributed to General Hospitals in Barkin Ladi, Mangu, Pankshin, Langtang and Shendam, funds have been released to offset surgery expenses for 10 children with heart defects. We call on the people of the state to support Gov Lalong if he decides to re contest the 2019 governorship elections because he is doing excellently well ” the group added .

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Group lauds Gov. Lalong’s achievements as truly exceptional