By Golok Nanmwa,Jos

Prior to the election of Governor Simon Lalong in 2015 under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Plateau State was bedeviled with all manners of crises .

It could be recalled with gloomy nostalgia that this unfortunate development ultimately forced many residents living, especially in the Jos and Bukuru metropolis, to relocate to other states in the country.

Our correspondent reports that Similarly, many business owners who felt their investments also left the state at about then

The expectation was, therefore, very high that the wind of Change that brought in Governor Simon Lalong in 2015.

Six years on, the state has been witnessing a tremendous influx of both people from different works of life and businesses. Many observers say there is an unusually high traffic in many parts of the State as a result of the surge in population.

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 75 percent completed .

Contractor handling the Simon Lalong Legacy projects, Bleneson services Nigeria Ltd recently pledged to complete the Lalong legacy projects before December 2021.

Speaking during the tour of the projects across the 17 local government areas of the state , Engr Lawson Ngoa President Bleneson Group who conducted newsmen around some of the sites said that the project was 75 per cent completed and that it would be completed before the end of the year .

He said this projects would be completed and can never be abandoned.

Engr Lawson said “This projects are very dear to Governor Simon Lalong and he has expressed delight to deliver legacy projects to the people and this is being actualised.
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He said the project was delayed due to the Coronavirus pandemic but assured that it would be completed soon .

At Government College Riyom , Lawson said the school, which is one of the legacy projects initiated by the Lalong administration, was meant to provide quality education for children of the poor who could not afford private schools.

He said the ongoing project in the school would be completed before the end of the year.

He said Governor Simon Lalong has vowed that his adminstration cannot fail to make quality education available to the children of the poor and under-privileged because he believes in taking care of everyone, particularly the weak and vulnerable.

“By the time this school is completed, the standards will be high .

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A sub contractor handling an administrative block and Guest house of one of the legacy projects Government College Riyom Ron properties Nigeria LTD Mr Samuel Kasuwa ,told our correspondent that he is confident that he would complete and hand over his project to Bleneson Nigeria LTD before march 2021 further stressing his Job is 90 percent completed

He said as an indigene of Plateau ,this project would be beneficial to our children , i can not afford to fail , i advise other sub contractors to take this as a wake up call and meet the target .

The Contractor also inspected the Lamingo Pilot Primary School in Jos North Local Government Area and said that the construction firm was making steady progress in the work as most of the class rooms will soon be completed to pave way for furnishing of the school which has a capacity for about 500 pupils.

He said the Lalong led government have vowed that it cannot fail to make quality education available to the children of the poor and under-privileged because he believes in taking care of everyone particularly the weak and vulnerable. When this school is completed, the standards will be so high and condition of learning so suitable that many will prefer to bring their children here than to take them to private schools”

Eng Lawson also proceeded to Mangu Local government of the state to inspect work on the General Hospital where construction work has also gone up to 70 percent .

He said that the Hospital when completed will solve the health needs of people of this Local Government and the neigbouring ones because it will be world standard and equipped with the state of the art facilities.

Gyang Biyal a citizen of Jos who spoke to our correspondent on the legacy projects in Mangu Local government of Plateau said as a proactive government, the Lalong Rescue Administration is taking necessary measures to expand existing structures to meet the increasing demand on the lean existing ones to prevent them from being overstretched.

He said Prominent sectors are education, transportation and the health. This is at the heart of the design and implementation of the Governor Simon Lalong Legacy projects initiated across the three senatorial districts of Plateau State.

In his words from what we are seeing on ground our Governor Simon Lalong came up with the new development goal known as ‘Legacy Project’. This legacy projects which are geared towards the provision of new social development projects include several comprehensive hospitals, several comprehensive secondary schools and eight comprehensive primary schools, all distributed across the three senatorial districts of the state. This is indeed a clear commitment of the Governor to carve a revolutionary niche in the annals of developing Plateau State in critical sectors towards leaving lasting legacies for the people at the end of his eight years on the saddle.

“The legacy projects which are already at advanced stages of completion are hinged on critical sectors that touch on education, health, human and infrastructural development. Therefore, no amount of budgetary allocation to these sectors is too much because of their obvious benefits to the entire masses, especially the downtrodden he added .

Danjuma Bentu another citizen of Plateau who spoke on the Lalong legacy projects in Jos said 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 .

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 adminstration .

, 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.

Alhaji Nagelu Garba an All Progressive Congress APC stalwart in Plateau said” Governor Lalong is passionate about brining massive development to Plateau .”

In his words “Lalong is working to better the life of citizens of the state

He said Governor Lalong and his administration have in the past 6 years continued to implement the blueprint of his political party (The APC), despite the harsh economic realities that came up, as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic and economic recession.

Governor Lalong has continue to protect and maintain his Three Pillar Policy of Peace, Security and Good governance, Infrastructural Development and Sustainable Economic Rebirth .

Lalong’s Administration’s Rescue phase 2 has continued to complete abandoned projects that, were inherited, as well as, those he initiated across the state, which cuts across health, education, security, infrastructure sectors and including, the social development and the economy.
Lalong’s in the state Health Sector for instance, is trying to complete the abandoned hospitals in Riyom, Kanke, Mabudi, while ongoing ones including the Lalong Legacy Projects are at various stages of completion.

Governor Lalong’s administration, is building a Teaching Hospital in Shendam LGA, to serve the new Faculty of Health Sciences soon to take off at the Plateau State University Bokkos.

Apart from establishing the Plateau Contributory Health Insurance Scheme, Governor Lalong has recently recruited more health workers including doctors to ensure that, the good people of Plateau State, get access to quality, affordable and timely healthcare.

The same is happening in the Education Sector, where the rescue adminstration of Governor Lalong is building and upgrading more schools both under the legacy projects, SUBEB and SDGs.

From facts available, the State’s tertiary institutions are also receiving attention

Nagelu said that apart from providing funds for on-going road projects in the state, Governor Lalong has recently re-awarded contracts for Tahoss/Ganawuri road, Mangu by-pass road, Shinkwan/Tunkus/ Shendam bye pass road, as well as, the rehabilitation of Kwande Byen-Byen Road.

It could be recalled that a group in Plateau state operating under the aegis of Inspired Southern Zone Youths recently urged residents of the state to renew hope in the country and show more support for the Governor Simon Lalong led administration at all times .

The group also commended Bleneson Group for the massive construction work it is doing at the Lalong legacy projects .

In a statement signed by Miss Angela Barde and made available to newsmen in Jos, they reiterated that Governor Simon Lalong is doing well in tackling insecurity in the state as well as other developmental projects .

We commend the Simon Lalong led adminstration for signing into law the Anti-kidnapping, Land grabbing, Cultism and Violence-related matters bill passed by the State House of Assembly , By that law, anyone convicted of kidnapping in Plateau State will be sentenced to death while cultism and other violent crimes attract various terms of imprisonment. “

“We also hail Lalong for inaugurating 595 Community Police constables who were trained and deployed to the 17 Local Government Areas to assist law enforcement agencies, particularly the police in intelligence gathering and other security operations. “

“Gov Lalong,s adminstration has been collaborating with security agencies to ensure that lasting peace is achieved in the state and has vowed to continue to pay attention to the security of lives and property by adopting various measures to foster peaceful coexistence and also deal with crime and criminality.

As group we say lets join hands with Gov Lalong as he strives to build an enduring legacy in Plateau

The Lalong legacy project which is scattered all over the senatorial zone is there for all to see and work is seriously ongoing on most sites .

“We call on the people of Plateau to renew our faith in our country and polity “”.

According to him, the governor needs greater support and cooperation from the populace to further deliver his electoral promises.

“No government can do it alone; for us in Plateau State to enjoy more dividends of democracy, the support of residents is highly imperative.

“I implore people of Plateau to cooperate and collaborate with Gov. Laong as he strives relentlessly, consistently, manifestly and persistently to make life more abundant for us.

“ The governor deserves our prayers, support and encouragement,” the statement further added .

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How Lalong of Plateau is actualizing his Policy thrust with Legacy Projects