by Raymond Gukas

The Plateau our Heritage, POH, has lamented the rise in corruption and negligence of duty by elected officials and calls for caution as these attitudes have affected the country negatively. 

Chairman of the POH, Hon. Alex Kwapnoe stated this in a one year anniversary text of the body today in Jos, Plateau state. 

According  to him, the “issue of corruption which we thought would abate with the focus of the APC administration, has however not been the case as we keep having reports of gross mismanagement of public resources and nepotism in high offices” which must stop.

For the country to rise, he said it must restructure “especially in areas that would make the components more productive and self-sustaining”.

Contributing to the efforts at finding solutions to the country’s intractable insecurity challenges, the POH chairman reiterated that there was “the need to restrengthen our laws to take care of grazing and alleged cattle rustling so that communities can live in peace”

Commenting on the POH, he said “When we formed the POH in the year 2020, part of our objectives for doing so was to bring all Plateau ethnic nationalities both at home and in the Diaspora under one umbrella to foster peace, understanding, closer relations and cooperation.

“The aim is for us to be our brothers’ keepers by taking interest in all matters affecting Plateau indigenes. We had also set out to provide a forum for resolving issues among members of the Plateau family, calling erring members to order, providing a forum for enhancing cohesion, growth, social and economic emancipation of Plateau State as well as protecting the rights of the sons and daughters of Plateau irrespective of political, ethnic, gender, class, religious affiliations”

Hon. Kwapnoe further emphasised that the POH,  on its own, is not a political group, but a forum where the Heritage of the state and it’s people can be harnessed, protected and brought to the front burner of national cohesion as major stakeholders in the Nigeria’s  project.

 Reeling out some of the achievements, he said “We were also able to make pronouncements on certain issues we felt strongly about like when  we took a stand against the encroachment and other security challenges faced by the University of Jos, and our voice was heard. 

Also, he said in the past year, the  POH has been able to Intervene in ameliorating the hardship of people attacked in Bassa LGA through donation of relief items and visits to them; a gesture he stressed, was widely appreciated and commended across  the State. 

“In order to boost the economy of our dear state, Plateau, the POH had robust conversations towards compiling tourists sites on the Plateau” among others.

Reviewing happenings across Plateau, he said “will not be fair to our people if at this stage we fail to mention some of the areas that need serious interventions by the government and which we shall pursue with vigour in the months to come.

“The security challenges in the country calls for serious concern. We cannot pretend that all is well in our country and our dear state with the increasing cases on kidnappings and other forms of crime that people no longer sleep with their eyes closed.

“The government and security agencies must move away from mere rhetoric to start showing more seriousness in the apprehension of those behind these crimes so as to serve as deterrent to others”

Also in a congratulatory message, the Convener of the POH group, Hon. Pam Ayuba Dangwong said It’s a journey of no return as it looks ahead with better prospects expecting to break barriers and boundaries. 

“Our POH Development Teams (POH DTs) under their various leaderships have been superlatives. I must sincerely thank the POH BOT for their selfless sacrifices the past months. 

He emphasised further that the POH was proud to have in it’s legion of characters, resource persons  and people of unquestionable integrity to move this state forward. 

“I am sure too, not long, our relevant teams will begin to put their different spanners of different sizes into work to pull together those hidden talents to the shore”, he stressed. 

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Plateau Our Heritage Decries Rise in Corruption, Negligence of Duty by Elected Officials and Nepotism in High Places