News

PLATEAU STATE: EVEN THIS DARKNESS SHALL PASS AWAY

Published

1 year ago

December 11, 2022

Ochuwa Ibrahim

PLATEAU STATE: EVEN THIS DARKNESS SHALL PASS AWAY

BY CHRIS GYANG

Nothing poignantly symbolizes the decrepit and gloomy face of governance in Plateau State such as the thick darkness that envelopes the Plateau State Government House at Little Rayfield every night.

Driving past that seat of government from the well-lit, ritzy and upscale Rayfield at sunset, you will never imagine that just a few metres to your left is the fence of what used to be one of the most magnificent government houses in the entire country. Close associates say that Governor Lalong harbours a deep aversion for the government house, built by his predecessor, because its sheer magnificence is a constant, niggling, reminder of his own disastrous outing as governor.

At daytime, the atmosphere of despondency is thicker, more palpable. The dilapidation and unkemptness that afflict both the fence and huge buildings within tell an even worse story; the sad tale of a governor who long ago let go of governance for fanciful frivolities that inflate his parched ego. Citizens here fittingly refer to him as ‘The Absentee Governor’.

The very structures within this expansive estate that were once the pride of Plateau people now desperately beg for a fresh coat of paint; yearn for their once lush lawns to be trimmed and watered; and pray for the overgrown grass and assorted weeds to be mown, perhaps for the first time in only God knows how many years.

Sadly, it is this sense of listlessness and abandonment that pervade both the people and atmosphere of Plateau State under His Excellency, Governor Simon Bako Lalong. And, yes, never fail to add to his string of aliases the fact that he also occupies the exalted position of the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and is likewise the Director-General of the All Progressives Party’s Presidential Campaign Council – which tickles him exceedingly, more than anything else these days.

It is this latest assignment, which he misconstrues as a reward for his exceptional leadership qualities, that he uses as yet another alibi to escape responsibility from the serious work of governance. His exaggerated sense of personal worth is now at its peak. But in his excitement, he failed to ask himself why the man who made him Director-General of his campaign team never thought him fit and worthy to be his running-mate, which, it must be admitted, Mr. Lalong straineously hankered after.

For a man who can settle for any position as far it gives him a semblance of public visibility, anything goes, warts and all. And knowing that his strength does not lie in taking and resolutely maintaining principled stands on fundamental issues, Tinubu and his kitchen cabinet fully understood that, at the least prompting, Governor Lalong would easily abandon his original quest and succumb to taking up the lesser, more temporary, position of Campaign DG.

At least, in his own reckoning, that would allow him share in the limelight that would shine on the APC’s high and mighty, as long as the campaigns last.

Other serious governors are making last minute efforts to consolidate on their achievements by commissioning projects and tidying up policies and programmes to strengthen and make them solid, robust and enduring. But Governor Lalong is squandering sleepless nights and precious resources hopping around the country on an exercise that is as self-serving as it is futile.

His efforts are akin to the gimmicks of a failed salesman struggling to market an essentially flawed product. Unfortunately, the best he can get for Tinubu in Plateau State cannot be more than what he was able to eke out for Buhari in the 2019 presidential ballot – a spectacularly humiliating result.

Moreover, the albatross of the Muslim-Muslim ticket that malignantly hangs on Mr. Lalong’s neck will be very difficult to cast off. This will, among other heavy moral baggage, make his job of selling the Tinubu/Shettima ticket very awkward to his immediate Christian constituency, both in Plateau State and elsewhere in the country. His task is further compounded by the fact that he is a Knight of the Catholic Faith.

What little time Mr. Lalong scrapes out to run the affairs of the state is devoted to empty state ceremonies still aimed at boosting his ego and picking up the pieces of the APC in the state which he single-handedly destroyed by turning it into a personal estate for his own pleasure. Today, many men and women who stood behind him in most of his inglorious seven years in office have been forced to either abandon him or join other political parties.

Even members in Jos North, who formed the fulcrum of the strength of the APC in the state, have rebelled against Mr. Lalong. His high-handedness and nepotism in handling both party and state affairs have been their chief motivations. Political analysts say that, as things stand, there is no way the APC can make any meaningful impact in the 2023 general elections.

Also, pundits further suggest that it is perhaps the highly fractious governorship primaries of the APC that finally nailed the coffin of the APC in Plateau State. The governor was seen to have deliberately skewed the process to favour his preferred aspirant which did not go down well with a majority of the contestants who took the matter to court.

Unfortunately, the outcome did not favour the aggrieved aspirants. But they have vowed to pursue the case up to the Supreme Court. However, many see this as a strategy to distract the APC from concentrating on the electioneering campaigns as more than 95 per cent of them are set to pitch their tents with the political party that has shown the greatest potential of defeating the APC in the forthcoming polls.

In the midst of all these, the people of Plateau State continue to suffer. As we write, civil servants are set to commence a five-day Sit-At-Home warning strike from midnight of Sunday, December 11, to Friday, December 16, 2022. They want to push home their demands for the payment of their five months’ salaries.

In fact, they had planned to start this industrial action before the flag-off of the APC presidential campaign in Jos on November 15. But, in order to stave off the embarrassment that would have caused Governor Lalong, being the arrowhead of the Tinubu campaign organisation, the workers were hoodwinked into calling it off when some workers started receiving salary alerts. But that was discontinued immediately after that political fiesta.

It later emerged that only a handful of workers had actually been paid a month or two’s outstanding salaries. Barely one month after, the workers have not heard any more from the state government regarding that matter.

With the governor perpetually absent and the levers of governance abandoned, it is only natural to expect these kinds of upheavals in the system arising from citizens’ frustrations with their wretched conditions. Abject conditions underscored by poverty for which Plateau State is now officially recognised as occupying the fifth position in the entire country.

Statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in November, revealed that 133 million Nigerians (63 per cent of the population) are multi-dimensionally poor due to lack of access to health care, education, proper living standards, employment and security.

PUNCH newspaper (November 18, 2022) reported: “The NBS further showed [that] Sokoto, Bayelsa, Gombe, Jigawa and Plateau are the top poorest states in 2022.

“Sokoto leads the poorest with 90.5 per cent of the people in the state poor. It is followed by Bayelsa with 88.5 per cent people, Gombe with 86.2 per cent, Jigawa with 84.3 per cent and Plateau with 84 per cent.”

Certainly, the Lalong administration should not be surprised at this bleak chunk of reality. To expect anything to the contrary would be to engage in the highest form of self-delusion. This is only the natural outcome of the government’s total lack of any concrete and practical economic blueprint aimed at harnessing and channelling the huge natural and human potentials of the state.

Like all else about the Lalong administration, its economic policies have been largely driven by a haphazard, trial-by-error, approach which is at best pedestrian and completely reliant on the old way receiving monthly handouts from the Federation Account. Most of which is deployed towards oiling huge and extensive political wheels and buying personal favours and loyalties of cheap political strumpets.

This is but a slice of the tragedy in which Plateau State is currently wallowing, emblematic of the darkness hanging over the Little Rayfield Government House. But come May, 29, 2023, its flamboyance, verve and splendour shall be restored, along with the natural vibrancy and pride of citizens. Citizens who are confident that, through their concerted and selfless efforts, they shall restore honour to their despoiled destiny so that even this darkness shall pass away.

(GYANG is the Chairman of the N.G.O, Journalists Coalition for Citizens’ Rights Initiative – JCCRI. Emails: info@jccri-online.org; chrisgyang01@gmail.com)

News

FG to Collaborate with Traditional Institutions to Protect and Preserve Environment

Published

7 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

FG to Collaborate with Traditional Institutions to Protect and Preserve Environment

By: Michael Mike

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal has stated that the Federal Government will continue to collaborate with the traditional institutions in the country, especially in protection and preservation of the environment through discouraging tree felling and promoting clean cooking.

The Minister disclosed this when the Emir of Nasarawa and former Minister of Environment, His Royal Highness, Alh. Ibrahim Usman Jibrin paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry on Thursday.

Balarabe stated that the Ministry is doing alot in tackling environmental challenges such as plastic waste, erosion and flood, desertification, drought control and other climate change challenges.

He assured the visiting monarch that being the former Minister of Environment, he would build on his legacy and achieve the mandate of the Ministry in line with the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on environment.

Earlier, the Emir of Nasarawa and former Minister of Environment, his Royal Highness, Alh. Ibrahim Usman Jibrin commended the staff of the Ministry for tackling environmental challenges in the country and assured the Minister of the Traditional institutions unalloyed support to achieve the mandate of the Ministry.

The Emir enjoined the Ministry to work as a team to promote environmental sustainability, emphasizing that “environment is the only one we have, so let us make it conducive”

In another development, the Honourable Minister received in audience the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Nigeria, H. E Salem Saeed on an official working visit to the Federal Ministry of Environment where important bilateral discussions where centred on Environmental issues such as the Just concluded COP28 held in Dubai, UAE last year, plastic pollution challenges, desertification control, tree planting, erosion and flood control among others.

The Minister commended the UAE for hosting the event and also appreciated the President of COP28, Sultan al-Jabar who provided the outcome of the discussions with an agreement that signal the ” beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era by laying the ground for a swift, just and equitable transition, unpinned by deep emissions cuts and scale up finance.

Balarabe further revealed that there are alot of areas of collaborations between Nigeria and UAE, most especially on the outcome of decisions reached during COP28.

He also commended President of UAE for resuming flight tickets to the County and the starting issuance of visa to Nigerians starting from 1st October, 2024.

Earlier, the Ambassador of UAE to Nigeria, H. E Salem Saeed congratulated the Honourable Minister of Environment on his well deserved appointment and disclosed that the Ministry is doing very well most especially the participation of Nigeria in Conference of Parties (COP28) In Dubai last year.

Saeed stated that Nigeria and UAE would continue to collaborate and partner on areas of mutual interest on environmental sustainability.

It would be recalled that United Arab Emirates (UAE), last year hosted the COP28 in Dubai with the slogan:UNITE, ACT, DELIVER.”

FG to Collaborate with Traditional Institutions to Protect and Preserve Environment

News

Chinese envoy advocates harmony as driver of development

Published

7 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Chinese envoy advocates harmony as driver of development

By: Michael Mike

The Chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Mr Zhang Yi has emphasized the need for Nigeria to embrace harmony as key driver towards national development.

Zhang stated this on Thursday in Abuja at a Seminar: “Promoting Harmony Through Mutual Learning” organised by the Chinese Embassy in collaboration with China Alumni Association and the University of Abuja.

The envoy drawing parallels with China’s own journey towards economic prosperity, shared insights on how embracing diversity while prioritizing harmony had been instrumental in China’s growth story.

According to him, the concept of harmony from Longman dictionary is when people live or work together without fighting or disagreeing with each other.

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He said: “Harmony is more emphasised by the Chinese people in our culture. At the level of man and nature, we advocate harmony in coexistence; at the level of family and society, we advocate harmony in integration.

“At the level of nation and civilization, we advocate harmony in diversity: at the level of state and governance, we advocate harmony in development.

“We believe that fostering harmony among various ethnic groups, fostering political stability, and prioritizing infrastructure development were crucial steps towards unlocking Nigeria’s full potential.

“In short, our ultimate goal is to create a harmonious world with peaceful development of mankind.

“As we know, friendship, which derives from close contact between the people, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations, and our cultures can build the friendship bridge connecting China and Nigeria,”he said.

Zhang reiterated China’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s development efforts through strategic partnerships, technology transfer, and infrastructure investments.

He emphasized the importance of collaboration between the two nations in key sectors such as energy, transportation, and telecommunications to drive economic growth and create opportunities for both countries.

Head of Political Science and International Relations Department University of Abuja, Prof. Sheriff Ibrahim, on his part, said that the seminar comes at a critical juncture for Nigeria, as the nation grapples with issues of insecurity, economic challenges, and social tensions.

Chinese envoy advocates harmony as driver of development

News

Agreement Signed for Deployment of Electric Motorbikes in Lagos

Published

18 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Agreement Signed for Deployment of Electric Motorbikes in Lagos

By: Michael Mike

Swap Station Mobility Limited has signed partnership agreement with Glovo and Siltech World to deploy electric motorbikes, smart swappable batteries, and a network of quick interchange stations across Lagos State.

The Partnership will provide Glovo couriers with 2-wheel electric motorbikes that offer lower cost, clean mobility alternative to the internal combustion engine (ICE).

The Electric Vehicles (EVs) are provided on a lease-to-own model whilst also offering riders a unique “pay as you ride” or “weekly subscription” to access SSM’s battery swap and charging facilities, technical support and cover for insurance, licensing, and routine maintenance services. In order to increase adoption, Swap Station intends to build out a network of solar powered automated quick interchange battery stations along major demand routes and logistics bases starting in Lagos and surrounding states over the next twenty-four months.

Blackaion Capital and FundCo Capital Managers who are the co-sponsors of Swap Station Mobility, believe the operational cost of battery swapping per kilometre (km) will remain substantially lower than the fuel cost per km for the ICE counterpart. “This is the main value driver which has been catalysed by the Federal Government’s near elimination of fuel subsidies.

The products developed or distributed by Swap Station are designed to exceed the performance of petrol alternatives whilst significantly improving CO2 emissions, local air quality, and cost efficiency for users over the life of the asset,” said the Director at Swap Station and Partner at Blackaion Capital, Obiora Okoye,

Okwu Njoku who sits on the Board went on to say, “We are very excited about signing with Glovo who operate one of the most prolific food delivery platforms in Nigeria. Our EVs and swappable batteries are in-country, and Siltech World, one of our key technology and technical partners, supported us with the procurement, testing, and certification of the EVs, and so, we are now ready to start operations. We plan to spend the next few months securing additional swap locations, building our technology platform, and expanding our team.”

Abiodun Oni, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FundCo Capital Managers, and former Regional Sales Director, Energy, for Tesla, stated, “e-mobility is critical to our sustainable infrastructure investment strategy, and this agreement with our partners enables us to kick start that process”.

On his part, Head of Operations at Glovo, Ify Adah stated, “ By 2030, our goal is to have about half of our orders delivered by non-combustion vehicles. So, we are very excited and look forward to working with Swap Station, and supporting our couriers with cleaner and more cost-effective transport solutions.”

Swap Station is an integrated EV financing and battery charging infrastructure development company that has built a business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) platform that provides access to electric 2-wheel and 3-wheel vehicles, swap station infrastructure, swappable batteries, and a hub for repairs and maintenance services to fleet owners, businesses, and users operating in the logistics and last mile connectivity in Nigeria.

Blackaion Capital is a West Africa focused infrastructure advisor, developer, and asset manager with offices in Lagos, Abuja, and Mauritius. Blackaion’s mission is to create exceptional long-term value for all stakeholders by developing and capitalising tech-enabled and climate-friendly infrastructure projects and companies.

FundCo is a specialised Alternative Asset Manager for sustainable infrastructure-related funds across critical economic sectors. These are selected industries providing essential services to the society, with domestic geographic diversity, have secure cash flows, are recession resilient, and ideally, offer some inflation protection. FundCo is duly registered with and licensed by Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a portfolio/fund manager in line with the SEC rules.

Agreement Signed for Deployment of Electric Motorbikes in Lagos