Fmr Plateau Guber Aspirant explodes, says Lalong is a bad story for Plateau because he has failed Woefully
By: Joseph A. Adudu
A former gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of the main opposition party in Plateau State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Architect Samuel Nanchang Jatau has taken a swipe on the administration of governor Simon Lalong describing it as a monumental failure.
Jatau, a retired civil servant and a critical stakeholder in the PDP posited that unless Gov Lalong changed his style of leadership and run a government that is based on policy driven by actors picked on merit rather than based on ethnic, tribal and other petty considerations, would not leave a good legacy for himself.
In an exclusive chat with African Drum in Jos recently, Arch. Jatau reiterated that the abysmal performance of governor Lalong is as a result of the fact that he has surrounded himself with less quality personalities who cannot add value to his administration. He added that this is so probably because of his nature as a person who is not given to succumbing to superior thinking stressing that as a good leader, one mustn’t see himself as an Alpha and Omega because nobody has monopoly of knowledge.
Arch. Jatau who is currently the Chairman of Professionals in PDP Plateau State said he was dumfounded when he saw the iternary of projects to be commissioned by Gov Lalong on Democracy Day. “I had to share my disappointment with a friend. You see, some people don’t know the value of the office of a Governor.
“A Governor is supposed to be rolling out real and superb achievements on democracy day and any other day.
“That is exactly what Gov. Wike of Rivers is doing. He has been commissioning projects every other day for the past two months.
“But here on the Plateau, our governor went to supervised SUBEB projects on Democracy Day. And one may be tempted to want to know the role of the Commissioner of Education.
“No wonder all the commissioners in the state are idle and the ministries in comatose”.
Jatau said the fact remains that Gov Lalong had no project to commission on Democracy Day and had to run helter skelter begging private entrepreneurs to allow him commission their projects, stressing that consequent upon this that Crispan Hotel was commissioned by the Governor. “Crispan is not a government project, but I saw the governor on television jumping up and down saying that the project came as a result of sustainable peace recorded in the state which has attracted foreign investors.
“But you may also wish to asked; how can an Ibo man who has lived all his life doing his business in Jos be referred to as a foreign investor?
“He is not, because he has lived all his life doing business in Jos. He has a stake in Plateau state because he has been contributing to the economy and revenue generation of the state.
“Therefore, the person that build Crispan cannot be said to be a foreign investor but Plateau person.
To me, the governor is a drowning man, and you know typical of a drowning person, he holds anything he sees on the surface of the water (even if it is a leaf) with the hope that it would keep him afloat.
“This government has nothing to show after six years in power. No infrastructure, while insecurity has risen to a level worse than any other time in the history of the State”, he said.
The former gubernatorial aspirant further noted that Lalong failed to write his name in gold when he refused to complete projects initiated by his predecessor (Jonah David Jang) instead, he embarked on new projects, thereby raising the figure of abandoned projects in the state to the tune of N60billion. “By my assessment, we currently have abandoned projects on the Plateau to the tune of N60billion in only health and education sectors.
“Let me explain. During Gov Jang era, his administration embarked on a massive upgrade of hospitals and schools.
“They were called ‘Health and Education Projects’ and were spread across the Northern, Central and Southern Senatorial Zones of the state.
“I was in charge of the Northern Zone and I know the level of completion the projects have attained.
“Behold, in 2015, we had a new governor who is a Plateau son and the projects are Plateau projects too.
“What I expected the new governor to do was to continue with these projects, complete them and take the glory.
“But what did Lalong do? He abandoned these projects and embarked on what he called ‘The Lalong Legacy Projects’ (still in the areas of health and education) to the tune of N59billion and signed an ISPO with Blenneson Nigeria Ltd.
“However, few months ago, the Plateau State Government came on air and told the citizens of Plateau state that it has terminated its contract with Blenneson after spending N31billion.
“During the handover note after the tenure of Jang administration, there was a N30billion infrastructure deficit (we prepared the handover note).
“Now if you add the figures, you would have more than N60billion infrastructural deficit just on health and education only.
“Now, if you consider other sectors, you can only imagine the quantum of money that is being wasted. It is said that government is a continuum but some people don’t believe this.
“They think politics is war. I think the interest of our people should be the priority and not how much money that would go into our private pockets”
Arch. Jatau further described as unfortunate as those projects that were used as campaign strategy by Lalong’s campaign team in 2015 have not been completed given an instance of the Jos to Mararaban Jamma’a road and the burnt Jos Main Market. “Even the 1km Dogon Karfe to British America junction road is yet to be completed six years after.
“The State secretariat is in a state of disrepair, work is still in progress in the new Government House Little Rayfield after six years of taking over.
“It might interest you to know that what Lalong met in the new Government House was achieved in three years. It is also laughable to hear the Lalong administration claiming the completion of the Victoria Gowon Hall.
“This is far from the truth because they just fitted the seats that have already been imported from Italy by the Jang administration.
“The High Court Project is still there and no sign of completion before 2023. And it would be a big shame on Lalong being his primary constituency.
“The Zaria road Stadium is still uncompleted. So, where are the projects? Nothing and don’t forget that none of the Lalong Legacy Projects has been completed, yet N31billion gone.
“This is unfortunate because as I said earlier, the infrastructural deficit is unprecedented”, Jatau said.
He further noted with regrets that despite being the Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, Lalong has not been able to attract any significant project from the Federal Government to the state. “Chairman Northern Governors Forum, he is just a figure head. 2023 is fast approaching and the game is being played, but he is not involved in the scheme of things.
“It has been said in some quarters that he is eying the office of the Vice President, fine and good. If that is true, I will support him because he is my brother from Plateau.
“However, I don’t see him having that ticket because he doesn’t have the qualities to occupy that office. He doesn’t even have the clout to get the ticket”.
On insecurity, Jatau noted that Plateau state has never had it this bad since its creation owing to failure in governance. “There is a high rate of insecurity on the Plateau.
“People are attacked and killed almost on daily basis and the governor doesn’t seems to show compassion because he never bothered visiting victims of such attacks either in their places of abode or in hospitals.
“You equally don’t hear of steps taken by government aimed at curtailing the menace and to also create confidence in the minds of the citizens.
“People are hacked in their homes, some on their farms almost on daily basis. Cultism is on the rise.
“Just three days ago, an Assistant Manager, Rwang Pam Township Stadium was shot in a broad day light. You also hear of cult activities almost in every part of Jos city everyday.
“In one of the radio programs last week, someone said that the number of young men killed in cult related activities in Jos between January and June this year alone is over 500.
“It’s therefore obvious that cultism which hitherto was alien to us is a clear danger with us now. There are so many Keke Napep on the streets of Jos that are not documented to enable government know who owns or operate them.
“There is a ban on motor bikes in Jos but the ban is currently ineffective because it’s not being implemented.
“Right now, if you go to PRTV round about, you see them. Go to Ahmadu Bello way, Dilimi, Nasarawa Filing Ball, Rukuba road and so many other places, you would see them operating.
“A lot of people have fallen victims to armed robbery to operators of these motor bikes and Keke Napep yet government has not deemed it fit to do something about it”.
Still on insecurity, Jatau said that the urban renewal process in Jos has been abandoned and the city is becoming a slump by the day and turning areas that were high streets before now, to markets. He gave an instance of Ahmadu Bellow way, a high street that has been turned to market yet businesses close by 5:30pm as a result of insecurity. “Currently, people close their business premises at Ahmadu Bellow way by 5:30pm because of the level of insecurity.
“However, any economy that cannot sustained night business is a bad economy and will never thrives.
“I have said this time without number, that all over the world, businesses thrives 24 hours but mostly at nights.
“Dubai operates 24 hours, likewise Paris, New York, London and many other cities. Commerce must go on and security ought to be in place so that the business community can have at least 15 hours a day for their businesses.
“But in Jos, the time is shrinking and the business community is getting less than 8 hours, so there is no commerce and this is because night life has gravely diminished and where there is no night life, there is no business”, Jatau said.
He further observed that Operation Rainbow (the state owned security outfit established during the Jang administration), has not been fully utilized by the current government. “Why we don’t see the hand print of government in securing the state is because the state owned security apparatus, the Operation Rainbow is now a shadow of itself owing to lack of equipment and personnel.
“They are not seen anywhere. When an attack occurs, you see the press risking going to the scene of crime but not Operation Rainbow.
“We have a huge advantage in Operation Rainbow if it is well structured and organised for our security but this administration has failed to realized this.
“So, the perpetrators of these attacks are emboldened by Government’s cluelessness and lack of useful ideas”.
The renowned Arch. further expressed dismay over the State government’s decision to donate the Panda Game Reserve in Quann’Pan LGA to the Federal Government where it has been alleged that the Federal Government has in turn handed over the Reserve to Fulani, the same people Jatau said the natives (most especially farmers) have accused of carrying out series of attacks against them in some parts of the state.
On his advise to Gov Lalong which he also considered as solution, Arch. Samuel Jatau noted that Gov Lalong must consider the fact that he needs to make the economy of the state a private sector driven in other to create wealth for the people. He said this can be achieved by initiating the right policies and bringing on board people that have qualities to drive these policies and add value to the administration. “How does he create wealth for the people? He can do this by leveraging on the areas God has already blessed us with.
“Firstly, tourism has not been adequately tapped. The value chain in the industry is enormous.
“Jobs would come up, the transport sector would be boosted, not to talk of the hotels and the food industries as well as other petty businesses.
“You would agree with me that one of the reasons why crime and criminality is on the rise is as result of unemployment especially for the youth population.
“The ministry of tourism and hospitality needs to have an active website to interact and communicate with the outside world.
“With active website, you can interact real time with prospective investors and there would be no need for the governor to use tax payer’s money globe-trotting on the pretext of wooing investors to the state.
“We also have a lot of mineral deposits on the Plateau. The Gov needs to revive the Plateau Mineral Company.
“Though mineral is on the exclusive list, but we can do the processing aspect as a state because there is a lot of money in the processing than it is in the mining.
“The Chinese have come and set up mining processing plants all over the place and have been taking our money to China and government is doing nothing about it.
“Agriculture that has been one of the mainstay of our economy has been neglected. The governor also needs to boost this sector.
“He must do something to ensure timely and adequate supply of fertilizer to farmers.
“That we have the Bajefta company in Bokkos producing fertilizer yet government go to Kano to buy fertilizer baffles me.
“There is also no major farm owned by the State government currently. Government must also take advantage of our weather and the serenity
“There are some crops that cannot be cultivated any where in Nigeria except on the Plateau. Government needs to look into this with the aim of mass production of these produce for export.
“We have the film institute here in Jos, but Kaduna state has taken the shine off us. Go and do your investigation, half of the directors and actors in Kannywood (which is the Hausa version of Nollywood) are Plateau sons and daughters.
“With the right policy, we can pull the rug off Kaduna’s feet in collaboration with the Film institute.
“Again, there has been rural urban drift of recent and this may lead to population explosion and services may likely not meet the demand of the people in the city of Jos.
“So there is the need to open up other towns. The administration needs to diversify by investing in some local governments that are already growing fast like Mangu, Pankshin and Shendam.
“The administration should improved on these towns and others so that Jos should not be the only city attracting people.
“This development would equally springs up opportunities and boost businesses. This is how wealth is created.
Secondly, Governor Lalong should equally take advantage of the fact that Plateau is located in a way that makes it the capital of the Middle Belt of Nigeria.
“Though he is not a believer of the Middle Belt, but that’s okay, so let’s say Central Nigeria (because my perspective is on the economic angle not political).
“Let the administration take advantage of this and make Plateau the economic hub of Central Nigeria, unfortunately, the administration is not thinking in that perspective.
“Nothing is being done to add to the commerce of Plateau. The state can even be made number one investment destination for foreigners.
“Time was when Jos used to record the highest number of Europeans in the country. We should ask ourselves why all of a sudden, the Europeans and other foreigners are not interested in Jos again?
“Governor Lalong needs to take advantage of the remaining two years and do the needful in other to leave a good legacy for himself and his generation to come because right now, he is a bad story for Plateau state”, Arch Jatau said.
On the recent celebration of 22 years of uninterrupted democracy, Arch Jatau said he doesn’t believed we are in a democracy but under civil rule. He added that there was democracy only at the inception of this dispensation stressing that the Buhari administration has worsen the situation more so, in its current effort aimed at gaging the Press (one of the cardinal pillars of democracy).
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