Plateau Council Chairmen Executed People-Oriented Projects, Says Commissioner

Timothy Alamba

The Plateau State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Ephraim Usman Gar, says the 17 council Chairmen have executed people-oriented projects across the state.

He spoke on Thursday at a press briefing on the ministry’s recent statewide project inspection tour.

Gar said the ministry visited all three senatorial zones to assess completed and ongoing projects. He said the aim was to ensure that funds released to councils were well used and that projects met quality standards.

He told reporters that the chairmen had not disappointed the “Time is Now” administration of Governor Caleb Mutfwang. He said the projects were based on the real needs of the communities.

Officials of the ministry, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Jonathan Dabo, the media and some civil society groups were on the tour.

In the Southern Zone, Gar said the team inspected youth centres, mini stadiums, computer-based test centres and legislative chambers. It also saw solar-powered streetlights, health centres, motorised boreholes and housing estates for legislators.

The team also visited the Wase Rock Radio and Television Station. It inspected facilities at the temporary headquarters of the 175 Infantry Motorcycle Battalion of the Nigerian Army. Gar called this a sign of council support for peace and security.

In the Central Zone, he listed the Dengi multipurpose hall, road construction in Kanke and a 1,500-capacity event hall in Mangu.

In the Northern Zone, he named health centres at Sabon Gari, Chinye-Miango, Garba Daho and Furaka. He also named markets at Rishari-Rutara and Zarakon, and bridges linking Farin Gada and Rusau, and Vwang and Kogot. Town halls in Kwang and Kuru were also on the list.

Gar said the 17 Chairmen are co-owners of Plateau State University, Bokkos. He said they awarded the contract for a 200-capacity anatomy laboratory there in November last year under the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON.

According to him, the project is now complete and handed over to the university. It is waiting for the Governor to commission it.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Plateau State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mrs. Ayuku Pwaspo, thanked the Commissioner for carrying journalists along in the ministry’s activities, especially the supervision of projects.

She asked for another opportunity for reporters who were not part of the tour. “In journalism, seeing is believing,” she said. She added that a visit would help those reporters to report the projects with authority.

Mrs. Pwaspo also commended the Council Chairmen. She prayed that they would execute projects that touch the lives of Plateau people in their remaining time in office.

Responding, Gar said the ministry would give the NUJ “maximum support.”

“If you want to go, even if it is tomorrow, we will mobilise you so that you go and see the projects for yourself,” he said.

Answering questions from journalists on local government autonomy, Gar said the issue was not only about autonomy. “It’s not all about autonomy, it’s about the efficiency of the Councils,” he said.

He said Governor Mutfwang had never interfered in how Chairmen use their resources. He added that the state sometimes supports Councils that are short of funds.

He urged journalists to call for a better sharing formula for Councils. He said this would help them to execute more projects that affect communities directly.

On the role of Councils in security, Gar said they were doing “quite a lot.” He said one council had recently registered a security outfit formally.

According to him, members were trained for three months by the Civil Defence. He said the outfit would make it easier to share information with the conventional security agencies. He said other Chairmen who run local vigilante groups had agreed to follow the example.

Asked about the tenure of local government councils, Gar declined to comment. He said the matter was already in court. He suggested that the question be directed to the Attorney-General.