The newly sworn in Governor of Plateau State, Barrister Simon Lalong, said the next four years of his administration would not be easy, urging the people of the State to give his government the maximum support to deliver on its mandate.

Lalong stated this while delivering his acceptance speech after him and his deputy were sworn in at the Rwang Pam township stadium in Jos, Friday.

“The next four years would not be easy ones; the mission to rescue Plateau is not rest on the shoulders of the leadership of the APC, or the Governor or his Deputy; but in active participation of the average Plateau man in the civil service, in our homes, school, work place and in our private relationships.

The governor who also received the handover note from the State’s out gone governor, Jonah Jang, who was represented by his deputy, Ignatius Longjan, said, “My Government will address headlong the challenges of peace and security in the State, knowing fully well, that meaningful
development cannot take place in an insecure or an unstable environment.

“The test of man is not how well he campaigned, but how effectively he meets the challenges and responsibilities of the new office. The onus now is how we manage the victory, the great expectations of our people.

“What I envision for Plateau State is not just economic prosperity, but a revive of our spirit and a renewal of commitment to unity and uncommon purpose. Too often we tend to employ divisive policies and petty rhetorics to undermine our opponents and further employ partisan division, governance is not about glamour or which political party is in power, but of utmost responsibility in terms of exercise of political, economic and social authority.

“We must therefore set aside our differences and search for a common ground for common good of our state. As we move in this journey, we must realize that our differences are smaller than we expect, and our hearts are larger than we imagined.

Lalong maintained that his administration is determined to create an environment of, “Commitment, trust and cooperation, rather than command and control.

“I’m confident that there is no problem that faces us today, which hardwork, honesty and courage cannot solve, if we chose to work together.

“Never before as a common people stood against injustice, impunity of powers to be. Never before had our people demonstrated such unity and resilience against campaigns of calumny, religious and ethnic divisiveness and massive financial enticement.

“Never be had any electoral process inbuilt in the people the capacity for their votes to really count at the polls. Above all, never before had any opposition party been able to defeat the incumbent in a
peaceful and democratic election in this country.

“The outcome of the electoral process, particularly in Plateau State, was clearly a referendum on our mere spirit of unity and affirmation of the desire to change and of a new direction of our people.

“Consequently the policy trust of our administration in the next four years would be anchored on the following; peace, security and good governance; human capital development and social welfare; agriculture and rural development; entrepreneurship and industrialization; and physical infrastructure and environment”. He stressed.

He appealed to striking workers to return to work and the incoming administration the opportunity and cooperation to settle their salary issues.

The event was attended by prominent Plateau citizens like Amb. FidelisTapgun, Former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, Senator elect Jeremiah Useni, Sen. Joshua Dariye, Dame Pauline Tallen, Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Gyang Buba among others.

count | 739

Lalong: The next 4 years will not be easy