Plateau State Governor, Rt. Hon. Dr. Simon Bako Lalong, has officially flagged off his campaign for re-election ahead of the 2019 general polls. The event which witnessed an unprecedented turnout in the history of electioneering campaigns in Plateau state attracted dignitaries from all walks of life. The Rwang Pam Stadium, venue of the flag-off, was filled to capacity with an uncontrollably large overflow of crowd swarming around the venue.
Yesterday’s flag-off was significant in so many ways. Nearly four years down the line since his assumption of office, Governor Lalong has fulfilled virtually all the promises he made during the 2014/2015 electioneering campaigns. Indeed, the mammoth crowd that thronged the venue, which comprised enthusiastic APC supporters, artisans, the disabled community, highly motivated civil servants, labour leaders, road transport workers, political decampees from the main opposition PDP and other political parties, among others, was no doubt a clear indication of the people’s immense love and massive support for their dear governor. It is also an indication of what to expect in the forthcoming elections… that is an outright victory for the Governor in 2019!
It goes without saying that one good turn deserves another. It, therefore, follows that one good tenure deserves another. There is no denying the fact that due to Governor Lalong’s excellent scorecard in his first tenure, which cuts across all sectors of the state’s economy, he deserves a second term in office. This is necessary so as to consolidate the unprecedented accomplishments so far recorded.
Perhaps, fiery South African cleric and anti-apartheid crusader, Bishop Desmond Tutu, had Governor Lalong in mind when he said thus:
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world!”
In less than four years, Governor Lalong has done the best he could for the people of the state. He has paid his political dues to gain the people’s goodwill, trust and confidence as well as their collective nod for another tenure of office.
Governor Lalong’s experience as the longest serving Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly for about seven years (2000 -2006) had, perhaps, exposed him to the rudiments of politics and the balance of diverse group interests in the state. He richly brought this to bear on his governance style in the state. His inclusive style of governance that carries along all the ethnic nationalities domiciled within the state’s geographical confines coupled with his courageous deployment of the spirit of give and take, no doubt paid off as these engendered peace and harmony among the people.
A very meticulous politician who knows his onions, the Governor made sure he constantly and constructively engages the federal government on all matters of interest to the people of the state. This culminated in the establishment of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) 220 Base for Search and Rescue Operations in Kerang, Mangu Local Government Area, as well as the establishment of two Mobile Police Force Barracks at Longvel in Shendam Local Government Area and Gashish in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area to deal with isolated cases of insecurity in the state. This has also helped immensely in the recent return of many Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) spread across different camps in the state to their ancestral homes.
Furthermore, disturbed by the mountain of crises he inherited from the immediate past administration of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state, the governor established the Plateau State Peace Building Agency (PPBA) which provides a proactive platform for constant dialogues amongst the state’s heterogeneous communities and religious groups. The agency holds periodic consultative dialogues with traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society groups, women and youth groups. The PPBA can be said to have succeeded to a large extent in dousing tensions and preventing conflicts among ethnic and religious communities, especially when viewed against the backdrop of the near failed state which Lalong inherited.
Indeed, Governor Lalong’s emergence as his party’s flag bearer in 2014, his subsequent election and ultimate inauguration as the fifth civilian governor of Plateau State on May 29, 2015 had, no doubt, confounded political bookmakers and consigned the politics of godfatherism in the state to well-deserved oblivion.
From the beginning, not many a politician believed he was going to win the governorship election in Plateau state. This was because political godfatherism had over time played a key role in such critical elections. But as a child of destiny, nothing would stop this astute administrator, exemplary leader, go-getter and an epitome of peace from achieving his destined victory.
A very important legacy of the Lalong administration in his first tenure is the Agricultural Sector.
Faced with dwindling oil revenue at the onset, and realising the fact that agriculture is the mainstay of most of Plateau people, as well as the state’s economy, he turned to the sector for succour. He embraced the Federal Government’s Anchor Borrowers Scheme, which availed farmers of funds for massive food production and the economic empowerment of farmers. Through the Governor’s benevolent efforts, the African Development Bank (AfFB) availed the state of a facility of about US3.38m Dollars for the massive production of Irish potatoes under the Potato Value Chain. This is expected to lead to the exportation of its finished products in the not-too-distant future.
Also, government procured several tonnes of Fertilizer in the past four years and sold them out to farmers at subsidised rates. The Governor also procured about 400 units of tractors in line with Government’s Tractorisation Scheme aimed at availing farmers of farming implements so as to boost food production in the state.
In addition, he resuscitated the 500-year-old Panyam Fish Farm, the Bokkos Fertilizer Blending Plant, the accreditation of Garkawa College of Education and the provision of soft loans to farmers, which restored Plateau to its pride of place in agriculture.
Confronted with the challenges of the near total rot which he inherited in the education sector, Governor Lalong took the bull by the horns and in less than four years, the result is a superlative turnaround in the sector. The performance of Plateau state at the annual WAEC/NECO examinations, which was hovering around 35th or 36th out of the 36 states in Nigeria, has been reversed with the state now occupying the 5th or 6th position at the moment.
For instance, three schools, GSS Shendam, Government College, Pankshin and GSS, Riyom have all been converted to Model Schools with state-of-the-art facilities put in place or being put in place. Recently over 4,000 primary school teachers who were initially recruited on ad hoc basis had their appointments confirmed and made permanent. More than 500 classrooms were also built and or renovated within his first three years in office alone!
The Plateau State University, Bokkos, was given a new lease of life with the reconstitution of the Governing Council under the leadership of ex-INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega as Pro-Chancellor. A total of 17 academic programmes of the institution were accredited, which in turn facilitated the mobilisation of two sets of graduands for the NYSC scheme in 2017, the first since its establishment. Other state tertiary institutions also received the desired attention.
Governor Lalong also addressed the issue of demoralised civil servants headlong within his first tenure in office. With an inherited debt burden of over N220bn and a civil service in dire straits, the Governor assembled an economic team with a clear mandate to think outside the box. The first reward was the first and second tranches of the salary bailout from the Federal Government, which he used to offset the backlog of civil servants’ unpaid salaries, pensions/gratuities.
This courageous deployment of about N20bn ignited the local economy and the reverberations were felt all over the state. This set the stage for a highly motivated civil service to key into the administration’s 5-Point Policy Thrust formulated to turn around the state. The consistent payment of salaries up to date, and the prioritisation of the general welfare of the workforce engendered the multiplier effect of stimulating the local economy, thus endearing the Governor to the electorate.
Governor Lalong further filled the vacant traditional stools in the state based on laid down laws and gazettes with a view to strengthening the traditional institution and fostering community based leadership. Over 50 communities cutting across all the local government areas benefited from this gesture. These include 1st class status chiefs and district heads.
In the first tenure of Governor Lalong, Government embarked on reviving and revamping its moribund industries such as the Highland Bottling Company and the Jos Main Market. Right now, the reacquisition of the BARC Farms and resuscitation of Jos International Breweries (JIB) are being pursued with vigour.
The Lalong administration also opened a new vista for economic development by unveiling the process to harness and develop the tourism sector. This was done against the backdrop of the state’s rich tourism potential yet to be exploited. Government did this by stepping up the process to harness these opportunities with a view to boosting the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) which dramatically increased from a paltry monthly N500m at the inception of the administration to about N1bn today.
Another landmark achievement of the Lalong administration in his first tenure was in the realm of women and youth empowerment. As a panacea for addressing this challenge, the governor established the Small, Medium and Micro Finance Enterprises Agency. Thousands of women and youths were trained in entrepreneurship, financial literacy and skills acquisition.
The governor’s Midas touch and resolute commitment to the cause of the youth
ensured that the state-owned Plateau United Football Club won the 2016/2017
Nigerian Premier League trophy.
One of the cardinal policies of the Lalong administration which has differentiated it from past administrations was his decision to continue and complete all the projects which he inherited. In accordance with this, critical infrastructures like roads inherited from the last administration have been completed, while new ones, particularly the Lalong Legacy Projects, were unveiled and are ongoing or completed.
With Governor Lalong’s amazing litany of legacies within a record time of less than four years in office, it is no surprise that his support base in the state is rock solid and bursting at the seams, while he is surely set to bag a second term in office without much qualms, despite the bragging and claims of the opposition to the contrary.
Longyen is the Special Assistant to Governor Simon Lalong on Media and Publicity.
