HAVING held several political positions in the state, including being two-time Speaker of the State Assembly, the governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Lalong, can rightly be described as a veteran of Plateau politics.
During his recent visit to Abuja, Governor Lalong spoke on a wide range of issues as the man in charge of affairs in the state. He dealt on his anti-corruption war, his experience with EFCC, how much he has recovered in addition to the roadmap for the state.
Plans for tourism in Plateau State after restoration of peace
Talking about tourism and peace, you know that there will be no tourism if there is no peace. During my youth days, I saw people travel far and wide to settle in Plateau because it was the tourism destination for foreigners. Many Nigerians like to spend their weekends in Jos because they kept their families in Jos while working in Lagos and other parts of the country.
However, the series of crises that engulfed the state forced many out of Jos. It killed the hope of the state continuing as tourist attraction. What we did as part of our five pillar trust was to make peace and security our priorities. I had the challenge of curtailing the insecurity I inherited. In fact, it is no longer news that Jos was a no-go area in our first four months in office.
After restoring peace and security by enthroning mutual understanding between the Fulanis and Beroms through a committee to handle their problems and established a law-bureau for conflict management, we have restored peace.
Parts of the state seen as no go areas are now free areas for people to mingle. Having done with peace, we are now moving into attraction for tourism even though it comes second to agriculture. We are aligning ourselves with the focus of federal government on prioritising agriculture, commerce and industries.
We organised a one-week retreat where we articulated the five policy trusts of my administration. In line with my campaign promise on commerce and tourism, we have already placed advertorial seeking for investors to rebuild the burnt central market. I can tell you that I am even confused on the one to pick out of the many investors that applied. As far as rebuilding the market is concerned, it is a done deal for me.
In the area of wildlife, part of our retreat dwelt on whether government should continue running the sector or concession it to a private individual. Since we are in the era of PPP where government provides the enabling environment, we are thinking of how we can concession wildlife in the state. Investing and developing tourism will be an advantage to us.
Revamping and exploration of solid mineral in the state
Before the dwindling of resources and shift on the focus on oil, nobody bothered about the exploration of solid mineral resources in the state. We have enough of it yet left it in the hands of illegal miners. Since we are in the era of thinking outside the box, we are bent on revamping the exploration of solid mineral resources.
Plateau state is the headquarters of Nigeria Mining Corporation; a proof of the significance of mining to the people of the state. When other states boast of groundnut, cocoa or palm oil, Plateau prides itself as the home of mining of solid mineral.
Due to the crash in oil, we all agreed to return to mining exploration and agriculture. I was very happy when we met with the Minister of Solid Mineral on tour of solid minerals in the state. We had a fruitful discussion which helped us form the solid mineral policy at the National Economic Council Meeting.
There is solid mineral in virtually every part of the local governments in the state. But because the law put the states at a disadvantage, people get licence from Abuja, storm the state in military and police escorts to do whatever pleases and give the community a stipend.
Now that there is national consciousness in accordance with the APC change mantra, we have insisted on strict adherence to the mining law. It is now compulsory for states to participate in the exploration of the solid minerals.
It is going to contribute immensely to our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). We have factored in how to take advantage of the new policy on solid minerals in increasing our IGRs in the state.
Reconciliatory moves
I must say that Plateau is a very unique state. It is a highly religious state as well and that was why you don’t have many cases of corruption in the state. When the election came, we knew that change was imminent in Plateau because we are united.
However, all of a sudden, there was division along religion and ethnic alignments. But Plateau people resisted it in voting for change and lucky enough, the change came through APC. Don’t forget that all of us were diehard PDP members especially myself who was Speaker for seven years under the party platform.
Some of us left and joined the opposition when we realised that many things were going wrong in the party. They succeeded in rigging the election in almost all except the governorship seat.
As I promised to carry everybody along, I made everybody come on board because it was seen as a Plateau project. We want to bring unity, hope, equity and justice in Plateau State.
Replicating federal government anti-corruption war in Plateau State
We are fighting corruption in Plateau state. We have sent several cases to EFCC and ICPC. EFCC has invited my Accountant-General to give evidence to the investigations going on now.
There have been lots of arrests and many of them from the past administrations have been on bail waiting for the appropriate time when the prosecution will start. EFCC may be slow but I know very well they will prosecute them.
From the transition committee we set, we told Plateau people what we inherited. Some of them are genuine while some are not. Some we have submitted to the EFCC and the rest we have commissioned a very reputable accounting firm, KPMG, to audit the state, which they are presently doing.
Nigerians will hear the reality of what transpired in the state at the appropriate time when they come up with results of their findings. I want to say that we have recovered looted funds too like the N2.7 billion, the amount they claimed has lost.
We traced and recovered the money meant for teachers that were not paid for 11 months. Civil servants were not paid for about nine months, same with the judiciary. Before we came into office, all of them were on strike because government was dead.
We have done our best so far because salary arrears have been reduced to only two months. We have paid all the backlog of salaries owed the teachers and they have now returned to the classroom just as the judiciary is back to work.
The litigations between labour and past government have all been settled and cases withdrawn. On our part, we have done very well but for the prosecution of the corrupt officials, it is the responsibility of the EFCC.
We are also putting a lot of pressure on them and hopefully, they will start prosecution at the appropriate time when they conclude their investigations. All we want are prosecution and recovery of the looted funds.
Pressure to stop anti-corruption war in the state
I am aware that anybody fighting corruption should expect retaliation. Many knew what I have gone through. I got frustrated even within the civil service. Our transition committee did a commendable work but they have continued to frustrate us.
Most times, people refused to come and give evidence even in the most glaring cases. We have however learnt to fight corruption without looking back. We know that it is a sacrifice that everyone must pay if the country must work.
I hold EFCC at a high repute because I was also a victim of EFCC. I know that Nigerians still remember that as a Speaker sometimes in 2005, 2006, EFCC detained me for more than 40 days, prosecuted and discharged me.
However, it was complicated with desire to impeach illegally during former President Olusegun Obasanjo era, which some of us resisted at all cost. Despite the detention, some of us refused to do that and many of them that agreed regretted their actions. At the end, many of us were vindicated by the Supreme Court.
Plateau’s bailout from federal government
We have not gotten the full bailout. In fact, we recently visited Abuja to make case at the CBN for the release of our remaining bailout. However, even before the first tranche of the bailout came, we had started solving all the backlog of liabilities left by the past administration like the salaries of workers.
Originally, we applied for N10 billion bailout to clear the arrears of salaries and infrastructure, we have received only N5 billion. We have cleared the arrears of salaries in all the local governments. If I am able to get the remaining bailout, I can assure you that nobody will hear arrears of salaries in my state again.
Difficulty in state governments implementing Single Treasury Account
If other states are finding it difficult, it is not Plateau State because we have already started implementing it. Immediately I saw the benefits of the introduction by Mr President, I directed my Accountant-General and Commissioner for Finance to ensure the compulsory introduction of TSA in Plateau state.
Initially I did not know the implications because I am not an accountant but the moment I realised that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, I insisted on the implementation. I even set up a committee to ensure the implementation and I am happy for the decision.
Let me inform you that we have benefitted immensely by discovering some hidden accounts unknown to government. I will advise any governor who has not started implementing TSA to do so.
The popularity of APC government waning
I want to admit that there are worries because of the ranges of complaints coming and the impatience of Nigerians. If we compare the state of the nation before the election, we will understand what the President is facing. We need to ask what the price of crude oil was before 2014 and how much it is today with the same budget and responsibilities.
In my state, the monthly allocation was between N5 billion to N8 billion in the past eight years but today, we are battling with a monthly salary cost of between N1.8 billion to N2 billion. Citizens will not take anything other than the change we promised.
All I want to appeal to Nigerians is to be patient for the policies we have in place to yield fruit. It will take little time but we must be ready to give this administration one year before passing judgment.
The good thing is that we are de-emphasising over dependence on oil and diversifying into agriculture and IGR. Give me from six months to one year of adequate funding and I will transform my state, provided I receive my bailout. I am going into massive IGR in my state.
Impression about minimum wage
There was misconception initially on what we are doing. At the level of the Governors Forum, we are appealing to Mr President to reconsider the position of the state so that we can afford the salaries of the workers.
There are so many people on the streets that we need to employ. The truth is that it was becoming difficult for some states to pay salaries of workers and that was why we called for help.
I don’t think they got us right when they claimed that we are going to downsize. I am not even thinking about downsizing. I want to retain and improve the workforce I have now. With good revenue, we should be thinking of how to engage more hands. Mr President has advised that no state should downsize.
Roads and infrastructure in the state
I inherited roads in very bad states and it was very glaring that it was going to be a very difficult task for us. I inherited a debt of over N200 billion in addition to outstanding contractual liabilities of over N105 billion, leaving only an insignificant N95 million in the coffers of the state treasury.
It becomes more horrible when you add uncompleted projects littered every part of the state including the main entrance to Jos city. The contract was awarded but abandoned. Even as we are investigating the abandonment, I resolved to finish some of them since the road are for the benefits of the people of Plateau.
Today, it is an entirely different story concerning roads in Jos. The flyover many thought I will ignore has been completed. Many other roads are undergoing construction. If I can do all these without bailout, God knows I will complete most other projects if I get the bailout.
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