Lalong’s set to harness Mining  and  boost Agriculture sector

Yakubu Busari

Governor Barrister Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau has been commended for his foresight and his desire to develops the Mining and boosting of agriculture  sector in the state.

The Chairman House Committee on environment and member representing Mangu in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Emmanuel James Dakas revealed that  the state government’s desire to exploring ever available resources to diversify Plateau mono-economy from petroleum to other mineral resources is a welcome development.

Governor Lalong had recently told the  people of the State during the meeting the over view presentation of cash flow statement of the period of June 2015 to October 2015 at the Government House little Rayfield in Jos South local government area,  adding that his next gender for the state is to tap the lost glory of the mining sector.

The development that has attracted commendations from the across the sections of the general Public. This is because, the tin mining activities which began in October 1904, by the British colonial government that has reduced the state to risks and death traps would be addressed.

On his part, Hon. Emmanuel James Dakas stated the need for the State government to demonstrate the political will needed to revamp the solid mineral sector into an organized sector that can stimulate significant growth that is sustainable.

Hon.  Dakas further lamented over the unprecedented loss of lives due to the activities  local miners in plateau state.

“The arbitrarily digging of the ground in search of the minerals, leaving the landscape riddled with deep gullies and abandoned pits which have made gully erosion, Jos has been distributed as a lunar landscape, the baffling reality of the situation is lack of interest or capacity of government, that is one of the things we inherited presently on the Plateau”.

Meanwhile, the management committee chairman of Jos south local government Sir. Augustine Pwakim described it as well come development for the local government and Plateau State.

He said the Lalong administration has injected fresh innovation, saying, “Government of Plateau State, under the leadership of the Governor Simon Bako Lalong which become a matter of necessary to dissolve the local government executive and legislative arms over the assessment of the operations of the councils was within the provision of Law”.

“For all indication this present administration would do the best compared to the preceding government were we witnessed the construction of our road that reach almost 40 years in Jos South local government.

“Shortly after the swearing in, he began to map out strategies for proper change that would confront the common challenges on ground and correct the failure of the pass government which had created turmoil and disenchantment in the minds of the rural people in terms of neglect and absence of infrastructure presence in all the nooks and crannies of the local government.

A retired Senior Purchasing officer from Jos South  Local Government Council, Alh. Abdullahi A. Baba has appealed to the state governor to work hand in hand with the third tier of Government to enable it continued to play a focal role in the entrenchment of democratic values  and good governance at the grassroots through the provision of basic amenities that meet the basic aspiration of the rural populace.