PRESS RELEASE BY CONCERNED ELDERS OF PLATEAU ON THE DESPERATION OF GOV. SIMON BAKO LALONG ON THE REBUILDING OF THE JOS MAIN MARKET

PRESS RELEASE BY CONCERNED ELDERS OF PLATEAU ON THE DESPERATION OF GOV. SIMON BAKO LALONG ON THE REBUILDING OF THE JOS MAIN MARKET

We have followed the discussions that followed the "leaked Draft Memorandum of Understanding" on the desire by the Governor Lalong's Administration to reconstruct the Jos Main Market (JMM), which was "bombed" and "burnt" in 2022. Coincidentally, this sad event took place when the incumbent Governor was then the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, during the Governor J. C. Dariye's Administration. This property has been further demolished by the present Government using a whopping over N1 billion in a bid said to be preparing it for reconstruction.

It is important at this point to remember the history of the JMM. It is a project of the Founding Fathers and past Governors of Plateau State: J. D Gomwalk, S. D. Lar (both of blessed memory) and S. B. Atukum who is not only alive, but has had cause to offer a very sound advice to the State Government on this matter. When JMM was completed and commissioned, it was the envy of all its contemporaries, not only in Nigeria, but adjudged to be the best in West Africa! Its status, glory, value and benefits to the economy of Plateau State, and indeed, Nigeria, stood it out. Sadly, even the outcome of the investigations into this is yet to see the light of day to the best of our knowledge. It will be important to know who and why it was brought down. This is sad!

To every lover of Plateau State, this is a good and welcomed development. However, since coming to the open, the issue of the MOU, which was NOT transparent; up to the time it was opened and about to be executed under terms that were overtly unacceptable to the majority of Plateau indigenes and citizens, the matter has continued to generate heated arguments and controversies majorly hinged on the following:

1. Economics of the proposed project.

2. Timing of the project 

3. Motives of both financiers  and the State Government.

4. Desperation (insistence on the deal) and urgency by both the State Government and the financier, and the suspicions created by these. Is it a payback for some undisclosed debt owed by Plateau State or what? 

5. Lack of transparency and compliance to the Due Process for Infrastructural Developments as enunciated by the Procurement Act, ICRC and best practices.

6. Secrecy that characterized the entire process: adverts, bidding, contractor selection and criteria.

7. The gross insensitivity and reckless utterances of some Government officials, and their refusal to listen to the voices of reason by the people with regards to the short and long term impacts of this project on the present and future generations of the people of the Plateau is worrisome. 

8. The seeming ignorance of the government to commercial infrastructure development trends in both developed and developing climes is a cause for concern. The ongoing development in Kano State is a case in point. 

9. Adamant bare-faced impunity with which the government of Lalong is pushing this matter, including the aberration of the Governor giving directives to Members of the Plateau House of Assembly to go back to their constituencies to conduct consultations as to the acceptability or otherwise of the proposed projects after resistance, tells a story that even the uninformed would be highly suspicious of government's true intentions. These are two separate and independent arms of government.

Without repeating what numerous patriotic sons and daughters of Plateau State, and indeed, many citizens and people of goodwill to the State have said on this contentious proposal, which is still on-going, we have decided to lend a voiced as CONCERNED ELDERS OF PLATEAU STATE to the matter and hope it will be listened to. We are conscious of the fact that this matter needs voices that will speak the truth to power, devoid of politics. The powers that be should appropriately separate politics from issues that affect lives of its citizens. This is moreso in this matter. PROJECTS alone are not adequate yardsticks for measuring and ensuring the performance of any government. It is to what extent the PEOPLE see, participate, feel, know and enjoy good governance that matters. We therefore, wish to state as follows:

1. Plateau State is not a BANANA REPUBLIC. It has owners. It is the estate handed over to us by God through our fore-fathers as our INHERITANCE. We intend to keep it so that we hand it over to our children and to generations unborn. In this connection, we wish to reiterate that there was, and still, there is a Plateau that we were brought up in, a State of honour, dignity, focus and people-oriented. It was competitive and had a respected status and position in the comity of States. Plateau State is loved by all who came into it and cannot now be bastardized by bad governance. It had a loving and caring leadership, sensitive to its people welfare and well-being and was driven by appropriate growth and development principles based on best practices - social, physical, economic and in all other parameters and they were acceptable, people oriented and applauded. We have been and are proud of our Plateau. The same cannot be said now. 

2. We do not understand why this government, democratically elected, and at the twilight of its tenure, would be so adamant, desperate and insensitive to the yearnings of the people that brought it to power. It is clear that all the State got from this administration are "make believe" outcomes. The current true statistics on the status of Plateau State are a state for its future. Is it economy, security, peace, physical development/infrastructure, human capital development? Name it. Plateau is almost at the bottom of all indices of development in the country, almost like a pariah State in the comity of States. 

3. It has become very clearly and loudly stated that it is not that the project is rejected, but that :

A. The processes characterized by secrecy and lack of transparency defeated, in every aspect, the anticipated outcomes and benefits. It required open, transparent and appropriate processes that comply with due process/ diligence and best practices for project procurements, including feasibility for its appropriateness and value to the people of the State. 

B. In view of the skewedness of the scheme, the timing and long term negative impacts, the project be SUSPENDED and left to the incoming administration to consider.  This is the voice of the Plateau people. Listen to them please.

C. Plateau stakeholders, owners, and citizens should not just be told about it, but be involved and have a buy-in and ownership of the project. Plateau people have capacity to make meaningful contributions to their developments in every aspect.

D. Government at all times should beware of the obsession of politics of PROJECTS VS. PEOPLE. It is a faulty yardstick for measurement of the performance of a government. The projects are for the people and not people for the projects!

CONCLUSION

We wish to advise that this adminstration has had one-too-many controversies around it. These range from inappropriate public outbursts from the governor, huge debt profile, controversial projects prioritizations, insecurity, to insensitivity to community crises. These are further compounded by the Governor's perpetual absence due to external engagements that do not seem to have direct bearings or dividends to the State: Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Director-General of the APC's Presidential Candidate's Campaign and, himself, an APC Senatorial Candidate for Plateau Southern Senatorial District. We think His Excellency should rather concentrate on addressing the issues of the State before handing over to the incoming government. There are a myriad of on-going inherited projects and new Legacy Projects to complete and commission, as well as welfare/well-being issues to worry about. The remaining period could also be used to prepare adequate and appropriate comprehensive Handing-Over Notes for the incoming administration for a seamless transition and take-off. 

POSTERITY AND HISTORY IS THE ULTIMATE JUDGE. 

THIS IS THE VOICE OF REASON FROM CONCERNED ELDERS OF PLATEAU STATE. 

E-signed

Bldr Dachollom Dalyop Jambol

Dr. Randy Ishaya Agaldo

Dr. Daniel D. Mwanmut

Mr. La'assan Baba

Mr. Rotkang Pius Auta.