Plateau State Governor, Barrister Simon Lalong, has charged the newly
appointed Secretary to the State Government and Chief of Staff to see
their appointments as a call to duty, saying “the challenges,
expectations and stakes are now much higher than before”.

Lalong stated this while swearing-in the Secretary to the State
Government, Hon. Rufus Bature and Chief of Staff, Mr. John Dafa’an, at
the old Government House in Rayfield Jos the State Capital, Thursday.

According to him, the ceremony is a milestone in his administrations
process of setting up a responsive administration that is committed to
making a difference in the State and in the lives of the populace,
based on the change the people soughed for and got through the polls.

The governor said, the appointees have carefully been chosen in line
with the administration’s change philosophy of ensuring credible and
inclusive government which will guarantee value addition.

“I wish to congratulate the newly sworn-in Secretary to the State
Government (SSG) and the Chief of Staff (CoS) and welcome you on board
the ship of this new administration, with a charge that the
recognition of your individual personal qualities and track record of
service in the past should be brought to bear in delivering the
highest good of governance to the people of Plateau.

“You must therefore see your appointments as a call and challenge to
service. Indeed we have a big task ahead of us in ensuring that we put
smiles on the faces of our people and the responsibility of this
public trust must be carried out with diligence and vigilance to
ensure that it is not abused. He maintained.

“I have no doubt in my mind that you will bring on board your wealth
of experience in order to ensure the smooth take-off of this
administration.

“May I remind you that we are on a rescue mission: the challenges,
expectations and stakes are now much higher than before. I urge you to
justify the confidence reposed in you by focusing on issues that would
proffer solutions to our myriad of problems. Lalong stressed.

In a related development, the Chairman elect, Langtang North Local
Government Council, Chief Dan Dul was also sworn in.

It would be recalled that Dul was elected chairman of Langtang North
LGA during the February, 25th, 2014, Local Government elections in the
State under the DPP banner, but following his victory, he was denied
the mandate because of unclear reasons presented by Plateau State
Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) and in his place, Hon.
Godwin Nanmwa Kumzhi of PDP was declared winner and sworn in.

He went to election tribunal headed by Justice J.D Mann to challenge
the victory pronouncement on Hon. Godwin Nanmwa Kumzhi. The election
tribunal ruled in his favour that he won the majority votes and aptly
directed PLASIEC to issue a certificate of return to him, but this was
largely ignored – as Hon. Godwin Nanmwa Kumzhi was allowed to continue
in office.

However, PLASIEC has issued Chief Dan Dul his certificate of return.

Governor Lalong while swearing in the Chairman said, “We are today
swearing-in the elected Chairman, Langtang North Local Government
Council, Chief Dan Dul, in line with this government’s philosophy of
respect and obedience to the rule of law.

The Governor said, “As you offer the leadership at the local
government level, you must lead your people with fairness and justice
and strife to give them robust and impactful leadership.

“Let me sustain my appeal to the good people of Plateau State to leave
behind all that took place in the past and rally round this government
as a new vista of opportunity is opened for us. Indeed we are in an
era of collective participation that is expected to engender the
holistic development of our state”. He stressed.

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See Your Appointments as a Call to Duty, Lalong to SSG, Chief of Staff