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Tag: Lalong

  • ‘Lalong borrowed N1t in two years’

    Minister of Youths and Sports Solomon Dalung has accused Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong of plunging the state into a debt which will take the next 30 years to recover from.

    Dalung, who spoke through his facebook page shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the Plateau, said the state’s debt profile has risen from N220 billion to N1 trillion since Lalong took over in 2015.

    According to him, Lalong lied to President Buhari on the true situation of things.

    He said: “Governor Lalong accused the previous administration of leaving a debt of N240 billion, but he failed to account for the loans he collected, including bail out and Paris club refunds.

    “Was all these monies spent on payment of salaries or pensions, or to complete projects? Why was Lalong silent about $2 billion (N720 billion) loan collected by the government from the African Development Bank (AfBD) for potatoes processing factory?

    “The FEC approved the loan in November 2017 and it is payable in 25 years. What about the N2 billon collected for the completion of Zaria road stadium?

    “The debt profile of Plateau, as it stands today, is getting to N1 trillion, if not more. What infrastructure does the Lalong administration has to show for the ADB loan and other loans collected locally? This is worrisome beyond mere praise singing.”

    But the government, through the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Yakubu Dati, dismissed the allegations.

    A statement by Dati yesterday said the Lalong administration has reduced the debt it inherited by 50 per cent.

    The statement reads: “We don’t know where the minister got his information from, but our records shows that the Lalong-led government has reduced the debt it inherited by over 50 per cent. This government never procured a loan of $2 billion from anywhere as alleged by the minister.

    “Out of the debt profile of N220 billion, which we inherited in 2015, the government has paid N122 billion. The records are available at the Debt Management Office (DMO) for confirmation. The bandied figure of N1 trillion by the minister is tales by moonlight.

    “On the matter of loans, it is still being processed. This can easily be confirmed on the bank’s website. The amount secured by the Federal Ministry of Finance is $11 million and not $2 billion as being bandied.

    “The facility was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of Wednesday, July 26, 2017.

    “The loan was secured from the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the development of the Irish potato value chain, and the project is expected to create 60,000 jobs. Plateau State would be providing N599 million as counterpart funding for the project.

    “The loan has a five years moratorium, after which whatever remains would be paid at the rate of 1 per cent in 20 years. The loan would be used to develop the Irish potatoes value chain in 17 councils.

    “The implementation would be jointly executed by FADAMA project and a unit in the state Ministry of Agriculture. About 70 per cent of the loan would be used to provide infrastructure, extension services, improved planting and marketing.

    “The whole exercise is aimed at boosting production and minimising wastages in the state, which is the largest producer of Irish potatoes. The rescue administration remains focused on delivering on its mandate.”

  • Lalong hails Fed Govt on anti-corruption war

    Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has praised the Federal Government on the anti-corruption war.

    He said successes recorded so far must be sustained.

    Lalong, who spoke while welcoming President Muhammadu Buhari on a working visit to the state, said more still needed to be done.

    “As a state, we have since keyed into this patriotic endeavour by lodging complaints with the relevant agencies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt  Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) against several cases of corruption by some past government officials,” he said.

    Lalong, a lawyer, said in an effort to end the growing security challenges his administration met, the Plateau Peace Building Agency was launched.

    “It is the first of its kind to be adopted by any state government in Nigeria. The function of the Peace Building Agency is to foster Peace through mutual cooperation and understanding with a view to ensuring amicable resolution of conflicts as well as the harmonious co-existence of all citizens, regardless of ethnic, religious and political backgrounds.

    “The Plateau Peace Building agency has developed a Five-Year Strategic Plan, through a carefully facilitated benchmarking

    “Plateau State has had its fair share experience of violent conflict, which also took a massive toll on the socio-economic development of the state.

    “The impact of this horrific experience in terms of both human and material loss has been quite devastating and profound. More than seven thousand lives were lost, with homes, livelihoods and communities destroyed in a period spanning over a decade,” Lalong said.

    According to the governor, the pattern of state and Federal responses to conflicts in the past were at best reactionary, often revolving between the setting up of commissions of inquiry and wide range of ad-hoc security arrangements meant to restore law and order.

    “While this approach may have yielded some short-term results during the conflict, it has failed to arrest the vicious cycle of violence that had become the persistent plight of our people for over 15 years,” he said.

    He said the Plateau Peace Building Agency’s Five-Year Strategic Plan came about through a carefully facilitated benchmarking exercise that harnessed the contributions of stakeholders.

    “Through the implementation of this strategic framework we hope to maintain a steady progress in our journey from fragile to stable peace.

    “Consequently, we are compelled to humbly request for intervention from, and collaborative partnerships with, the Federal Government that will assist the state through the Peace Building Agency to fully implement the conflict transformation and peace building activities.

    “To complement and support the efforts of security agencies, government has procured 53 security vehicles equipped with communication gadgets for distribution to all the 17 local government areas,” he said.

    Addressing the President, Lalong added: “One of the major highlights of your official visit to Plateau, therefore, is to unveil this strategic document in view of its potential for peace and security in our state and across Nigeria.”

  • How to end Plateau ethnic clashes, land dispute, by Lalong

    How to end Plateau ethnic clashes, land dispute, by Lalong

    Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has pledged to end the killings through ethnic clashes and land disputes across the state by ensuring interpersonal engagement and fairness in the distribution of amenities to the residents.

    The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Yakubu Dati, broke the news in Lagos.

    The commissioner said Lalong was devoted to ending the “cycle of bloodletting in Plateau” and make the state a reference point for peace in the Middle Belt.

    Dati, who addressed reporters at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikela, Lagos, said the governor’s strategic deployment of amenities across the state had given every ethnic group a sense of belonging.

    The commissioner spoke on tomorrow’s historical visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Plateau State.

    He noted that it would enable the state to unveil the accomplishments of the Lalong administration in developing and strengthening the relationship between the residents and the Federal Government.

    Dati said: “As the President arrives on a working visit, he will inspect and inaugurate some roads, including the Mararaba Jama’a Expressway, Low-cost Miango-Rafiki road network and the fly-over at the secretariat junction. President Buhari will also inspect the Unguwar Rogo–Alikazaure Bridge under construction.

    “The Agricultural sector, which is one of the new normal in the policy thrust of the government, will witness a significant push as President Buhari launches 400 tractors purchased for distribution. The tractors’ ownership and Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme between the Plateau State government and the state’s All Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Society.”

     

  • Lalong signs 146b budget

    Lalong signs 146b budget

    Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has signed the 2018 budget of N146 billion.

    He called on citizens to cooperate with the government in internal revenue generation to finance the budget.

    Lalong said: “Having listened carefully to the synopsis of this bill, especially as it pertains to its financing, may I, therefore, state categorically that there is need for all agencies of government to rise to the challenge of remitting revenues appropriately, failure of which our aim of rescuing our people and consolidating on the gains already achieved becomes a mirage.

    “It is my belief that with commitment, financial prudence and resilience, we will together, achieve what has been earmarked for this fiscal year.

    “While the government fulfils its own side of the bargain, the people need to reciprocate by paying their taxes and other levies as and when due. More so, the government alone cannot do it, as no man is capable of clapping with one hand.”

    The budget shows an increase of N918 million, representing 0.63 per cent from the initial N145.5 billion presented to the Assembly.

    The governor said the increase followed the inclusion of money for constituency projects and other critical areas.

    Capital expenditure will cost N70.5 billion, representing 48.16 per cent while N75.9 billion, representing 51.84 per cent, would go for recurrent expenditure.

  • Lalong denies carving out land mass for cattle colonies

    Lalong denies carving out land mass for cattle colonies

    The Plateau State Government will not be a party to the proposed cattle colonies, Governor Simon Lalong declared yesterday.

    The governor described as “false, malicious and highly mischievous” reports in the social media that he had carved out parts of Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bokkos local government areas for the creation of cattle colonies.

    The governor’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dan Manjang, who broke the news of the government’s decision, advised all peace-loving citizens of Plateau State to “discountenance such mischievous information” and embrace issues that unite rather than divide them.

    Manjang, in a statement in Jos, said: “The attention of the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, has been drawn to the news making the rounds, particularly in the social media, that parts of Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bokkos LGAs have been carved out for the creation of colonies for cattle, in fulfilment of his promises to the Fulani who have pressured him to either cede those areas or face their vicious side, which may cost him his aspirations.

    “The governor herein states unequivocally that this thinking is not only a figment of the imagination of its authors who want to make political capital out of it, it is false, malicious and highly mischievous.

    “Governor Simon Bako Lalong does not contemplate such action, and he further calls on all good citizens of Plateau to bury such imagination of these elements (who are) bent on throwing the state into confusion. Cattle colonies are not in the imagination of Governor Lalong.

  • ‘Lalong not opposed to anti-grazing law’

    ‘Lalong not opposed to anti-grazing law’

    Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong is not opposed to the anti-grazing law, it has been learnt.

    A socio-political organisation, the Plateau Regeneration Group, said the governor was quoted out of context in his comments on the killings in Benue State.

    Its spokesman Mr Badung Chuhwak, while briefing reporters in Jos, said Lalong did not mean to cause more pain to Benue people.

    Lalong, during an interview with State House correspondents in Abuja, was quoted as saying that he had warned Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue against implementing the Anti-Open Grazing Law.

    The group, however, maintained that Lalong was only speaking about the alternatives to open grazing.

    Chuhwak said: “Lalong is an advocate of ranching and would support any initiative by the Federal Government to end herders/farmers clashes including cattle colonies.

    The group apologised to the government and people of Benue State for the misrepresentation of the governor in the media.

    Lalong’s media team, in a statement by his Director Press and Public Affairs, Mr Emmanuel Nanle, said the governor would always show solidarity with his Benue State counterpart.

    “The governor has expressed his deepest sympathy in a phone conversation with Governor Ortom.

    “He gave assurances of the prayers of the people of Plateau for God’s comfort to the bereaved families, and for the repose of the souls of all those killed in the wake of the attack,” it said.

    A statement from Nanle described a statement credited to one Mr Clinton Garuba as in bad taste.

    He said Lalong does not consider himself superhuman as is the case with his predecessors and, as such, he feels the pain of the tragic loss of innocent lives in the Benue attacks.

    “Governor Lalong and Ortom know the common heritage which their states share, and the bond created by that common ancestry and heritage gives them every reason to stand strong together in finding a solution, to the common threat to peace which they are both confronted with.

    “Governors Lalong and Ortom are on terms with Mr President on the urgent need to use conventional and human security approaches to bring to a total end, once and for all, the criminal onslaughts of marauding herdsmen.

    “Given their sincerity of purpose, they will not rest on their oars until this is attained,” Nanle stated.

  • Benue killings: I’m profusely sorry for my comments-Lalong

    Benue killings: I’m profusely sorry for my comments-Lalong

    Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong,  has tendered his unreserved apologies to the people of Benue State and Nigerians over the comments he made following the murder of over 60 people by herdsmen in two local government areas.

    Lalong had told newsmen that he warned Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue against passing the anti-grazing law which was believed to have caused the deadly killings by the herdsmen.

    The governor’s statement was widely criticised as highly insensitive and suggestive of justifying the killings and grave injuries inflicted on the villagers by the unidentified herdsmen.

    However,  Lalong, at the weekend in Abuja,  told newsmen that his comments would not in any way help in the resolution of the crisis.

    While expressing his belief in the sanctity of human lives,  the governor said Plateau State has a strong affinity with all states in the Middle Belt, especially Benue which was carved out of Plateau State, noting that his initial comments were misconstrued and misinterpreted.

    He said: “I am here to comment on my statement concerning the lingering issue. That is my comment after the presidential visit in respect of the crisis in Benue State.

    “Once again, let me use this opportunity extend my deepest sympathies and extend our condolences to the people of  Benue State over this great loss. My prayer is that God will continue to give them and every Nigerian the fortitude to bear the loss.

    “I must say that I humbly apologise for my comments because I have seen that it was really misconceived and misinterpreted. That generated a lot of social media writeup here and there about the issue. I apologise for that because neither the argument for or against helps the matter because it involves lives.

    “I have great respect for the sanctity of human lives and the unity of the Middle Belt. I would not say Plateau is fighting Benue State at all. We are brothers and sisters. Benue was created out of Plateau. Nasarawa was created out of Pleteau.

    “We still remain brothers and sisters. So I extend my prayers to all of them and I pray that God Almighty will give them the fortitude to bear the loss and grant the souls of the departed eternal rest.

    “This is to tell those who are for and against  that there is need, especially at this time when lives are involved, for all of us to join hands to ensure that we work towards  the resolution of the matter and helping in ensuring peace not only in Benue, but in Nigeria.”

  • No apologies backing Buhari’s re-election bid, say Ganduje, Lalong, five other northern govs

    No apologies backing Buhari’s re-election bid, say Ganduje, Lalong, five other northern govs

    Seven northern governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday reiterated their support for the second term bid of President Muhammadu Buhari, declaring that they had no apologies for doing so.

    The governors prayed along with Buhari at the State House Mosque for the Jumat and thereafter had a meeting with him.

    As they emerged from the session, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, who spoke for them, said they remained committed to the President’s re-election bid.

    “We are politicians, and those of us you see here want the President to contest the 2019 election. We have no apologies for that,” he said.

    “We believe in Mr. President. We want him to continue running the country in the right direction.

    “People can speculate about 2019, we have no apologies. Whether they are right or wrong is beside the point.

    “Everybody is entitled to his own opinion. But as governors, and most of us here with the exception of Yobe Governor are first time governors, we are interested in continuity and stability, and we want the President to continue with that.”

    Others governors at the meeting were Abubakar Bello (Niger); Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe); Yahaya Bello (Kogi); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna); Jibrilla Bindow (Adamawa) and Simon Lalong (Plateau).

    El-Rufai also spoke on the crisis sparked in his state by his recent mass sack of teachers for failing to measure up to standard.

    He said there was no going back on their sack and that the severance pay of the affected teachers was ready for collection.

    His words: “There is nothing to step back on. It’s a well thought out position we took one and a half years before we made the decision, and we will not change it.

    “We have announced that in line with the public service rule, we will pay three months’ severance pay, and we have provided incentives for those that are retiring to go through the retirement training.

    “Those that are interested in farming, we have the reserve land available, and for those that want to go into trade, we have micro credit to support them. If they are not suitable as teachers they can do other things and the government will do other things to support them.”

    On the allegation that he asked the police to stop workers marching to Government House on Thursday to protest the alleged sack of about 21,000 teachers in Kaduna State, he said the right to protest was guaranteed in the constitution and that he was not in the state on that day.

    He said: “I did not direct the police to stop the workers. I was not even in Kaduna. For me, the right to protest is guaranteed in the constitution, provided you don’t go violent and you don’t violate any laws.

    ”I think the concern of the police is because the precarious situation in the country, particularly in Kaduna, made it unsuitable to have such protest. And the last time they did such a thing, they attacked the State House of Assembly.

    ”So this is the concern. The concern is break down of law and order and not protest or strike. They are free to do so, but it will not change our position.”

    Also speaking, Governor Ganduje of Kano State said the coming together of the seven governors was a mere coincidence.

    He said: ”We are seven in number here, but we came separately, not for any purpose.

    “But after the Friday prayers, we decided to say hello to Mr. President.

    “It’s just a coincidence that we met in the mosque and some joined us later and we decided to go to greet him.

  • I warned Ortom on anti-open grazing law, says Lalong

    I warned Ortom on anti-open grazing law, says Lalong

    Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong said yesterday that he warned his Benue State counterpart Samuel Ortom when he was planning the anti-Open Grazing law.

    He felt Ortom should have exploited other ways to deal with the herders situation before enforcing the law.

    Lalong, who spoke with reporters at the Villa yesterday said:“I told the governor of Benue when he was doing the law, I said look, why don’t you tread softly, just be careful, take other steps before you start implementation.

    “But you see states are different, his own concept and that of our own in Plateau is different. I said I will not do the law before implementation. I have not developed the ranching areas so I cannot go and say I put a law.  To stop who? If I stop the people what is the alternative.

    “So I said do consultations allow the people to understand and buy into the concept.” he said

    He said all the tribes in the state accepted ranching as the solution to the herders crisis.

    “Last year, I sent a 12-member team to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, they spent almost a week there to study and the team was headed by former Vice Chancellor of University of Jos, Professor Onazi. We went round all the communities in Plateau, it took three months and Plateau people including the Fulanis accepted that we must embrace ranching.

    “Ranching as a concept is a policy and there are states realizing the importance of the policy. I cannot wake up like some people said last year that I should go and do anti-grasing Law. And I asked anti-grazing law for what? We are talking about ranching, we are talking about development of livestock business and I cannot use the word anti to start driving people who are interested. It is for those who are interested to come and get involve in it.

    “Secondly, I can’t implement anti-grazing law. There are levels of implementation which will require government intervention, provision of ranchers and thirdly, when you are talking of ranching it is a component of agriculture business you will also require subsidy. Subsidy must come from federal and state governments and by the time we develop it and put every structure on ground, then we can bring laws to regulate the implementation. So I don’t want to jump one step before the other.” he said

    On the purpose of his visit to the President, he said “I just returned from my vacation and I felt I should come and see Mr. President especially as my state celebrated Christmas and New Year peacefully..

    “With the support I am getting from Mr. President we are having relative peace. So I came to brief him especially when you see insecurity in neighbouring states so that if there are areas of improvement, we will also do the improvement so that we don’t have cases like we are saying.”

  • How we achieved peace in Plateau, by Lalong

    How we achieved peace in Plateau, by Lalong

    Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong has attributed the peace in his state to an all-inclusive governance model.

    According to him, ensuring that no ethnic group is neglected in any society will ensure  harmonious existence.

    In an interview with The Nation in Jos, Platea State capital, Lalong said it was the model that restored peace to the Plateau.

    He said: “During my campaigns, some of the ethnic groups were raising issues. Some said: ‘We are neglected. It is only during election that they call us to contribute. We are also part of the state; we have contributed to the economy.’

    “I won’t say that all of them were looking for political appointments. They were looking for a sense of belonging. They were looking for an opportunity to contribute their quota to the development of the state.”

    Lolong said if he signs 200 Certificates of Occupancy (CofO), those of indigenes would be less than 20, while the rest would be members of other ethnic groups.

    “If they are contributing to the economy, we must also ensure that they have a sense of belonging. So, we got the names of leaders of the various ethnic groups.

    “We assured them that this new government was theirs. We went on campaigns together; we went to the 53 ethnic groups together, to their leaders and door steps.

    “In some cases we sat down and discussed with them for more than two hours on how we would run the government if we succeeded. So, they were with us,” he said.

    Lalong said the need to carry everyone along was more compelling considering that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was not popular in the state when he campaigned on its platform.

    It was also challenging “a powerful administration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”, which had been in power for eight years.

    “So, we carried all the ethnic groups along. In our campaign under the auspices of APC, you would see a lot of ethnic groups.

    “You would see Yorubas singing Yoruba songs, Igbos singing Igbo songs, Igalas singing Igala songs, Fulanis singing Fulani songs, etc. Everywhere we went was like a miniature Nigeria,”he said.