PLATEAU TO IMPLEMENT FULL AUTONOMY AS EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATURE & JUDICIARY REACH AGREEMENT

The dust over the implementation of autonomy for the Judicial and Legislative Arms of Government across the country has been settled in Plateau State, with the three arms of Government reaching an agreement after series of negotiations on modalities for its operations. 

Governor Simon Bako Lalong disclosed this at a dinner and lecture to mark Democracy Day 2021 at the Banquet Hall of the New Government House, Little Rayfield Jos on Saturday June 12th. 

Lalong said prior to the clamour for implementation of autonomy across the nation, his administration had put in place structures for autonomy and even implemented some aspects. This include establishing the Judicial Service Commission and the House of Assembly Service Commission which are the administrative fulcrums of the two arms of Government among others. 

He said with the agreement reached on modalities for implementation, he has directed that all funds accruing to the two arms of Government should immediately be transferred to them. This he said will continue to be the practice henceforth. 

Based on the arrangement, after every FAAC monthly allocations are recieved and Internally Generated Revenues ascertained, statutory charges and liabilities will be deducted before each arm of Government are given what belongs to them. 

The Governor who thanked the Speaker of the House of the Assembly and the Chief Judge for their understanding and cooperation throughout the negotiations, said there is no winner no vanquished. He then called on Judiciary and Legislative workers unions to ensure they get back to work immediately as anything short will amount to absence from duty which attracts "no work no pay". 

The Governor also recieved the report of the Judicial Panel of Enquiry on Police Brutality from the Chairman, Retired Justice Philomina Lot who said they recieved over a hundred petitions and struck out a few, but had many petitioners appear to make their cases. 

The Governor assured that the State will implement all the recommendations relating to it and forward those concerning the Federal Government and its agencies appropriately. 

Guest Lecturer Prof. Andrew Zamani, DG ITF Sir Joseph Ari, and acting DG NIPSS Gen. Udaya rtd  all commended Governor Lalong for pursuing peace and tackling insecurity which has brought about investment and development in the State. 

Deputy Governor Prof. Sonny Tyoden and Secretary to the Government of the State, Prof. Danladi Abok Atu used the commemoration of the two years of the second tenure to reaffirm the commitment of the Lalong Rescue Administration to implement all it projects and fulfil its campaign promises. 

Dr. Makut Simon Macham 

Director of Press & Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State. 

13th June 2021

PLATEAU STATE GOVERNMENT COMMENCES ROLL OUT OF NIN REGISTRATION CENTRES

Following the approval by the Federal Government for Plateau State to participate in the ongoing National Identity Management System (NIMS) which is implemented by the National Identity Management Commission under the Digital Identity Ecosystem project, the State Government has rolled out its first NIN Registration Centre in Jos.

 

The NIN Data Registration Centre located at the JD Gomwalk Secretariat Jos is the first of the State's intervention to ensure that indigenes and residents of the State are enrolled into the National Identity Data Base (NIDB) for the issuance of the National Identity Number (NIN) with ease.

 The roll out which is expected to gradually be extended to the 17 Local Governments, is being coordinated by the Plateau State Information, Communication and Technology Development Agency (PICTDA) and the Ministry of Science and Technology, who were directed by Governor Simon Bako Lalong to serve as implementing partners after the approval was secured.

 

Already, the agency with the collaboration of the NIMC has trained enrollment officers across the State to operate the enrollment exercise. NIMC officials are also providing support throughout the process of registration and roll out of Centres to ensure the exercise is smooth. 

 

Citizens and residents are therefore advised to approach the Plateau State Secretariat Enrollment Centre situated at the Maintenance Building after the main entrance to the J.D. Gomwalk Secretariat with relevant documents to be captured.

 Supporting document for Enrolment include:

1. Birth Certificate 

2. International Passport

3. Driver’s license

4. Voters card 

5. Private/governmental ID Card.

6. Indigene certificate.

 

The Plateau State Government is hopeful that the roll out of the Registration Centres will further enhance service delivery in payroll and tax verifications, payments, scholarship awards, enrolment in schools, provision of health care especially as related to the PLASCHEMA, land administration, agricultural support and other related services performed by the different Ministries Departments and Agencies in the State. 

 Dr. Makut Simon Macham 

Director of Press & Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State. 

19th April 2021

 

PAAAVART Advocated for the Use of Sport to Promote Peaceful Coexistence

 

Sport has been described as a veritable tool in the promotion of peaceful and harmonious coexistence, President of Peace Advancement, Action Against Violence and Rape Foundation Lady Vivien Abara stated this during an event organized by the NGO to marked the international day for sport and development for peace.

The event which had a theme “only together will we play and dance again” took place at Jos Museum Auditorium.

Lady Abara reiterated that sport strengthened social ties and provide sustainable development and peace as well as solidarity and respect through individual’s unique skills and collective power. She said “we can come together and share creative ways to improve our health, wellbeing, our goal and happiness through physical activities like dancing”.

She explained that in celebrating this year event dancing was added because, the foundation was unable to carry out the normal sporting activities because of the restriction put in place due to the Covid 19 pandemic. “This however, provided us the opportunity to invite several other communities across board for them to come together to laugh, discuss and be friends again” she added.

Lady Abara maintained that International Day For Sport And Development For Peace 2021 looked to reaffirmed the place of sport in recovering from the pandemic and beyond, to foster equality, solidarity, communities in team spirit in response to the pandemic, encouraged healthy habit through physical activities and emotional wellbeing and inspire hope through sporting analogy, with collective efforts we aim to strengthened the peaceful coexistence of the people of this state and the country atlarge.

“As we celebrate today I called on all groups and stakeholders in the state to strive for for togetherness to building a unified block of peace, to bridge the gap across all tribes, ethnic group, culture or tribe. Let us continue to play and dance together for development and peace; let us come together and end the fight and leave as one” she noted.    

Resources persons Prince Charles Diction and Kabiru Garba Mai Akwala both said the country need genuine peace and sporting activities are a powerful driver towards harmonious coexistent and nation building.

In a goodwill message The Director General Plateau State Peace Building Agency Joseph Lengman and Matron of the Foundation Professor Patricia Lar of the Department of Microbiology University of Jos both eulogized PAAAVART for organizing the event, while calling on Nigerians to key into the initiatives.

Joseph Lengman noted that the event is very important; saying what the society need to day is social cohesion, noting that over the years the society was too divided, and to repair the fracture relationship and make sure that we understand one another, we need to come together.

He said If there is any event that can push such an agenda is this occasion where you see young people coming together to play to meet people from other religion, tribes and ethnicity this means a lot and that underscores the importance of this event.

Lengman reemphasized that everywhere in the world sport brings people together, noting that sports, arts and music create an opportunity for people to come together. 

 

Professor Patricia Lar said peace is a desire of every community and sport is needed to be organized to allowed room for interaction, saying that sport is indeed a melting point for people coming together. “Peace is a currency for every individual, we need peace to grow, it is very important for the development of our nation. Lack of peace hampers general wellbeing of individuals” she added.   

Other line-up of activities to marked the day was board games and dance competition as while as presentation of awards and certificates.

GOV. LALONG DELIVERS 11TH AREWA LECTURE, CANVASSES FOR REDUCTION IN COST OF GOVERNANCE TO FUND DEVELOPMENT

 Chairman of Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong says all tiers of Government in Nigeria must as a matter of urgency cut down on the high cost of Governance in order to fund critical areas of development that will address challenges of Nigerians. 

 Governor Lalong said this while delivering the 11th Annual Memorial Lecture in honour of late Sir Ahmadu Bello at the Arewa House, Kaduna. 

 Governor Lalong whose lecture was entitled "Reducing the Cost of Governance for Inclusive Growth and Youth Development in Post COVID-19 Northern Nigeria" said the high cost of governance has further increased the inability of the governments at all levels to meet the basic needs of the people. 

 He said factors such as corruption, insecurity, large number of Government appointees, high salaries, corruption, among others are among some of the factors that drive the high cost of governance in the country. He insisted that this must be addressed immediately to change the trajectory of growth in Nigeria and the North in particular. 

 Lalong said the high cost of governance has worsened the standard of living in the Northern part of the country which continues to battle with infrastructure deficit, poverty, illiteracy, culture of patronage laziness, diseases and insecurity. 

 He said the Northern Governors Forum has seriously examined the economic situation in the region and is working in unison to address the high cost of governance and other obstacles to development. 

 Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari who represented President Muhammadu Buhari said the Federal Government has continued to implement various cut-cutting measures to reduce the cost of governance and free resources for development. 

 He said so far, the results are positive and the Federal Government will work with State Governments including those of the Northern region in adopting measure that will reduce huge spending and wastages so that funds will be available for development. 

 Chairman of the occassion, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said the discourse is timely as the nation needs to prioritise its spending and get more resources towards addressing the problems of the common man.

 The Lecture was attended by many dignitaries from across the country as well as Governors from the northern region. 

 Awards were bestowed on six former Governors of the Northern region who served meritoriouly and founded the Arewa House. Among them is former Governor of Benue Plateau State, late Joseph Gomwalk.

 Dr. Makut Simon Macham 

Director of Press & Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State. 

27th March 2021.

 

SENATOR HEZAKIAH DIMKA ON THRESHOLD OF PLATEAU MOUNTAINS

 By Orgak Walbe

Since his inauguration as the Senator Representing Plateau Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly the positive impact of Hezakiah Dimka is undeniable been felt not only in the central zone but the state atlarge.

Working with the conventional calendar, two years might be seeming as too long for the provision of dividend of democracy to be felt, to some it is a mark of failure therefore, changes must be made regardless of whatever the situations. All of these are right in their own ways, but as in all life situations what matters most is not the beginning but the ending.

True to type, to some Senator Hezekiah might be slow at the beginning, but that should not in any way be seen as a mark of flaw or letdown because in every life accomplishment most of the actions carried out hastily never stand the test of time, therefore, it is pertinent for any right thinking person to appropriately set exceptional strategies in motion through appropriate planning.

If you failed to plan, then you have failed already and the ending will always be catastrophic; just as a vehicle a changes gears at the start with slow motion and gradually picking up speed so does any good planning and strategies.

Two years at the Senate Chamber was a period of strategizing and planning, Hezekiah Dimka larger than life image as well as his legendry simple and unassuming personality had greatly endeared him to the heart of people that had come in close contact with him.

No sooner had Senator Hezekiah Ayuba Dimka was inaugurated on the 11th June, 2019 into the red chamber to represent the cherish people of the Plateau Central Senatorial District that he embarked on vigorous appraisal of situation on ground with the aim at providing purposeful representation guided with the philosophy of peace, unity and love anchor on the moral obligation that he will never let tribalism, religion nepotism, ethnic biasness or political witch-hunt get in the way of representation.

His scorecards at the senate as seen to the bill for the establishment of the Institute of Information and Communication Technology Kanam, Bill for the upgrade of NDLEA Training Institute, Jos, advocacy and sensitization on Narcotic Drugs and rehabilitation programme, empowerment programme for 150 Youths and Women across the constituency, rural electrification project and solar power project in the senatorial district, employment of youths into federal establishments, this is just to mention a few as over 600 beneficiaries of Federal Government Survival Fund courtesy distinguished Senator Dimka receives their N30,000 grant across the five LGAS of Plateau Central with the assurance that the beneficiaries of the other categories of the Survival Fund would be verified soon and payment effected on time.

The social media propaganda against Senator Hezakiah Dimka is an exercise in futility and has failed woefully because he has proven his mettle at the upper Chamber.

His uncommon spirit of undiluted patriotism for his fatherland, coupled with his abundant philanthropic endeavors’ particularly in his home state, whom he treasured profoundly and so zealously, are indeed potent demonstrations of Distinguished Senator Hezekiah Dimka great and enduring legacies and no political or media conspiracy will take that from him.

Diket Plang's Midas Touch as Member Plateau State House of Assembly

LIST OF APPOINTED BOARD MEMBERS