Plateau: Expectations from Lalong

A NEW dawn was set in plateau state on  may 29th  with the swearing in of a new Governor in person of
Barr  Simon Bako Lalong, expectations are high that his coming will rescue Plateau State from the dark ages and bring the expected and desired change.

  Prior to his coming Plateau was in rains as vertically all the sectors in the state were Moribund as nothing seemed to be working.

  From backlog of 6 months salary owed civil servants to poor sanitary condition in the state, poor relationship with the citizenry, closure of courts and above all  incessant crises in the state.

  Barr lalong a former speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2007 needs to be visibly courageous and extremely focus to reposition the state for better productivity.

  He has every reason to be focus looking at the challenges disturbing the citizens because he is faced with imminent prospects to inherit empty treasury and an insolvent, ruined government that could not mobilize sufficiently to cater for the immediate needs of its civil service.

  Barr Lalong  expressed worry by the despair and high degree of gloom that have characterized the civil service of the outgone government of Dr Jonah David Jang who have looted the state and left 104 billion naira debts equeathed to him.

  There is serious confusion over Lalong refusing to occupy the new government edifice which was dedicated to the children and the people of Plateau state.

  The building which total cost estimated about 15 billion is one of best in the country was said to be built on error by the incoming administration.

  The out-going government of Jang was neither helping matters nor doing anything worthwhile to assuage the situation by what it could actually salvage from the remnants of excessive spending and extremely flamboyant nature of governance so as to provide a fallback for the new government of Simon Bako Lalong before it could begin to grapple with the realities of the austere system it has inherited.

  The heavy backlog of workers salary and arrears and non payment of tertiary institutions also help in building hatred in the state.

  The Jang administration had recklessly embarked on last minute lavish spending spree ,squandering any available naira and kobo on frivolities, leaving huge bills from unpaid claims of contractors and numerous service providers.

   It was also gathered that the House of Assembly members  were in the rush to approve billions for  last lapse looting.

  Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State says the immediate past governor of the state, Jonah David Jang left N104 billion debt in his hand-over note to him.

  Lalong said while addressing judicial workers who were led by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Pius Damulak, in a visit to at the Presidential Lodge wing of the old  Government House in Rayfield, Jos,  that he found no kobo in the state treasury, stressing that Jang left him a total debt of N104 billion, including debt owed workers who had not been paid their monthly salary for seven months now.

  "I want the Judiciary to know that the past administration left N104 billion Naira documented in the handing over note to me and there is also no kobo left in the treasury of the state and we will have to battle again with the seven months unpaid salaries of workers, including pensioners in the state," Lalong said.

  Speaking on the occasion, Plateau State chief Judge, Damulak, complained that the state judiciary was underfunded during the past administration. He called on Lalong to regard the judiciary as a key sector which should not be played with.

  The revelation of the N104 billion debt profile of Plateau State is a shock to Plateau people who were told only last month by Jang's last commissioner of information, Alhaji Abubakar Badu, that the state was indebted by only N18 billion. This was however before the Jang administration took up a N27 billion loan from the capital market amidst criticism from many quarters.

  However  even with the debt profile, the new governor is saddled with the responsibility of reconciling the people of the state. 

  Governor Lalong in his inaugural speech said the next four years will not be easy but will try to rescue Plateau people and this can only be achieved through the collective Will of  the people.

  This administration will establish an institutional framework that will drive the state forward such as revisiting the issue of creation of chiefdoms, provision of affordable health care, reinvigorate the civil service and rebuilding of the Jos burnt main market among others.

  National light correspondent  spoke to a  Jos based legal practitioner and former Nigerian Bar Association chairman, Barr T. Kekemeke who applauded the administration of Bar. Simon Lalong for bringing out blueprint that will be beneficiary to the state.

  He expects the Governor to fulfill campaign promises as recently people use the work Buhari  parameter which simple means march your campaign promise with actions.

  He said the new government will take Plateau State and welfare of the people serious as positive changes will be seen soon.

  The fourth arm of Government in Plateau State  is presently paralyzed but believed the Governor been a lawyer will settle the issues on ground such as workers salaries, pensioners, Judicial staff workers who have been on strike for close to six months as the courts have been under lock and key.

  Barr Kekemeke believes the new government will create a good working relationship with the judiciary to end the strike and reopen the courts.

  He called on the people of Plateau to be patient with the new administration as so many things have gone wrong and pleaded with the youths to put their confidence in him.

  According to a Jos based businessman Chief Chijioke  Achi in his submission expects the best from the Governor and believed that the promises he made in his inaugural speech will to followed to the letter like the rebuilding of the burnt Jos main market.