TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE COORDINATOR, COALITION OF PLATEAU CENTRAL ZONE YOUTHS (COPCZY), EZEKIEL JAMOK ON THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE ON DISTINGUISHED SENATOR HEZEKIAH AYUBA DIMKA, SENATOR REPRESENTING PLATEAU CENTRAL SENATORIAL ZONE ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2020 AT THE JOS BUSINESS SCHOOL (JBS)

Gentlemen of the Press

May I for the purpose of not being accused of playing politics by calling you out here; start by introducing that the Coalition of Plateau Central Zone Youths is a group of progressive youths drawn from the five local government areas of Plateau Central Senatorial District with the core mandate for advocacy and the promotion of democratic ideals centered on good governance and effective representation.

Let it be known to those who may rush to condemn our move that we are a set of determined youths who have consistently employed critical indices to measure and gauge the performances of the representatives of the people. Senator Hezekiah Ayuba Dimka is one of those we have dutifully followed to gauge what he has done since he came into politics; and equally got the mandate to represent the people of the zone.

We believe it is equally our duty to tell the world that we cannot sit and watch how the Senator has been disparaged consistently on account of his performance in the National Assembly in the last one and half years. We have argued and rightly too on many occasions that, his traducers cannot deny the fact that he has remained one to beat going by what many have read in the last one week from the horse’s mouth in the social media.

Rightly we are copiously repeating some of the lines he is quoted to have used in his reply to the purported call for his recall a couple of days ago for the sake of emphasis and to buttress the singular fact that had those who had cast aspersions on him read between the lines, they would have been educated that the Senator has continued to play a pivotal role for the sake of the zone.

He had said: The legislative role is fundamental because the will of the people is expressed through the laws and how effective they are implemented through governmental agencies, ministries and departments. This implies that the quality of the life of the people is bound to be affected reasonably by the nature and quality of the laws made and passed by the legislature.

Since commencement of legislative activities by the 9th Assembly, one and a half years ago and in line with constitutional mandates, Senator Hezekiah Dimka, the Senator representing Plateau Central District has worked to push forth some initiatives/bills that appeal to the good people of Plateau Central zone.

We dare say that his actions are refined in response to public sentiments aimed at improving the people’s values and specific welfare sectors manifesting his achievements which reflect his earlier stated  legislative interests to include; education, security, agriculture, women and youth development. 

More so, as a silent achiever, Dimka has been identified as one of the few Senators the 9th Assembly relies upon to push its agenda and he is considered to be among the most active members of the Red Chambers. Against the background of his constitutional mandate, some of the bills he has sponsored and presented on the floor of the Red Chambers are as follows:
Bill for the establishment of Federal University of Technology Kabwir (awaiting second reading),
Bill for the establishment of the Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Kanam (a degree awarding institution), and,
Bill for the upgrade of NDLEA Training Institute, Jos.

Aside the constitutional mandate of law making, other projects he proposed, which we believe would benefit the people and have a direct impact on the communities are again listed below:
Construction of motorised solar boreholes,
Construction of four numbers of three block class rooms,
Skills development and capacity training for youth and women,
Supply of tri-cycles (Keke Napep) and motorcycles for youths, provisions of grinding, water pumping and knap spraying machines,
Provision of rural electrification/construction of solar street lights, and
Advocacy and sensitization on narcotic drugs and rehabilitation programmes.

We are sure that Senator Hezekiah Dimka has remained committed to making sure that the aforementioned programmes are delivered to the people and soon it shall be manifested in greater quantity and quality; even as it has already begun in phases in the zone. 

Indeed, pursuant to the resolve in his quest for a continued all-round improvement in the lives of the people of the Senatorial District, he has ensured that other federal government projects that were initiated and are on-going in the zone enjoy continuous funding and supervision to facilitate their timely completion for the benefit of the people, he is intensifying lobbying with great zeal.

There is no doubt that these projects when completed, will link various communities (inter & intra state) for the enhancement of socio-economic activities. More importantly, for an agrarian based economy and society, transportation, commerce and agriculture will enjoy a boost.

Some of the identified on-going federal government projects of priority concern and central to the heart of the Senator and that of the people are as follows;

Construction of Pankshin-Tapshin-Gambar-Sara-Kal-Gindiri Road networks
Construction of Panyam-Bokkos-Wamba-Wamba Road Networks,
Construction of Pankshin-Ballang-Nyelleng-Sara-Lere-Gindiri Road Network,
Construction of Babban Lamba-Sharam Road Network, and
Provision/installation of 500KVA transformer.

As a show of commitment, the Senator has commenced work in order to deliver on the constituency projects earlier proposed for the benefit of the people of Plateau Central District.

Work has advanced on the installation of solar street lights across Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam LGAs within the Central Senatorial District.

In Pankshin LGA, casting work for the installation of the solar street light in the following communities was successful;
~Wokkos
~Lankan
~Ballang Kalep
~Ballang Shipang
~Deri
~Mudel
~Kadyis
~Nyelleng
~Gwabi
~Jivir

Indeed, in a few days from now, these communities will begin to enjoy electricity. Similarly, the following communities in Kanam LGA were considered for same project and casting has already been concluded few days ago amidst a lot of cheers in the communities.

These communities are;
~Tuttung-Tankwal Area
~Gwamlar-Khibogghom Area
~Kwalmiya-Khinpyi Area
~Dugub-Badawa Area
~Kantana-Kantana Area
~Kyaram-Garga Area 

In Mangu LGA, transformers will soon be supplied for the extension of electricity in Mangu and Gindiri towns. Also the same thing is to be done in Bokkos LGA. Next in line with such supplies is Dengi town as well as the extension of electricity to Kyamshengi and Jarmai towns. 

Also, as the Distinguished Senator representing Plateau Central Senatorial District and Committee Chairman on Drugs and Narcotics in his quest to empower the constituents has scheduled an empowerment programme for 150 youth and women.

The first phase of the empowerment is training and provision of grants for youths and women in livestock, potatoes and rice production in the senatorial district. 30 constituents from each of the five LGAs (Kanam, Pankshin, Kanke, Mangu and Bokkos) benefitted from the training.

The programme lasted for two days held on Tuesday 17th to Wednesday 18th November, 2020 at Vel Sunset Resort in Pankshin.

As if that is not enough, in less than two days after the above empowerment project, we are again being invited to another mouth watering sponsored initiative by Senator Hezekiah Ayuba Dimka on an advocacy sensitization on narcotic drugs addiction/rehabilitation which started in Kanke, Kanam and Mangu Thursday through Friday. Those in Pankshin and Bokkos will have a feel of the initiative very soon.

It is on record that one of the vices that have eaten and destroyed our young men and women and indeed the old is drugs abuse. We are happy the sensitization programmed has been organized by no other person than the Senate Committee Chairman on Drugs and Narcotics. Our young men and women deserve this, so as to help push the frontiers of our move to safeguard their future.

It is for the above reasons that we want to congratulate the Distinguished Senator and as Oliver Twist, we ask for more youths and women to be engaged in skill acquisitions and empowerment closely in tandem with the outlined series of constituency projects that would be executed in the days ahead.  In fact, the release of the budget is what shall facilitate the above; it is hopeful that more shall follow soon.

We are delighted to know that the Senator has gone on to lobby for permanent and pensionable appointments to some youths with several federal government agencies, ministries and parastatals including higher institutions with a promise and strong will to do even more. Therefore, we want to lend our voices in asking that more should be done to take our youths that are graduates off the streets into gainful employment.

In the same vein, the Forum is using this opportunity in calling on the Distinguish Senator to take deliberate and concrete measures in providing specific and special empowerment programs and employment opportunities to members of the zone who are persons with disabilities in order to alleviate their plight and the trauma of living with disabilities.

High consideration should equally be given to other critical infrastructures like hospitals, schools, roads and potable water supply for the benefit of the people of the zone.

The Coalition of Plateau Central Zone Youths is pleading that the empowerment and constituency projects should be evenly distributed across the five LGAs. But the involvement of all, you can be sure as it has been the desire to Senator Dimka to bring everybody on board.

As we look forward to the future, we are full of optimism that the numerous projects that have been initiated and those that are ongoing would be pursued with vigour and dedication in order to ensure that all legislation needed for funds to be appropriated and mobilised for the completion of these projects in the interest of the people of Central Plateau, the state and the country at large.

Therefore, it is on this note that having seen and believed all that are on ground that, WE ARE TODAY PASSING A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE ON DISTINGUISHED SENATOR HEZEKIAH AYUBA DIMKA, SENATOR REPRESENTING PLATEAU CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT AND CHAIRMAN SENATE COMMITTEE ON DRUGS AND NARCOTICS in order to spur him to remain focused and to keep the fire of quality representation relevant for the people of the zone.

Long Live Plateau Central Zone!
Long live Plateau State!!
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!

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Plateau Central Youth Group Passes Vote of Confidence on Sen. Hezekiah Dimka