President Muhammadu Buhari has restated
his commitment to arrest the cycle of violence that has engulfed some
parts of the country.
Speaking Thursday in Jos, Plateau State
at a Town Hall meeting in the course of his two-day official visit to
the state, President Buhari who also launched the Plateau State
Roadmap to Peace, congratulated the Governor for uniting the people
of the state.
“I wish to encourage your Excellency
to continue with the good work you are doing, and I wholeheartedly
congratulate you for uniting the people of Plateau State.
“I am indeed quite impressed with
gains and successes recorded in the area of conflict management and
peace-building, which has returned this state to the path of relative
peace.
“Let me express the Federal
Government’s commitment to support and assist the Peace Building
Agency in its effort to arrest the vicious cycle of violence and lay
the foundation for sustainable peace in our country.”
President Buhari also commended
Governor Simon Lalong for his achievements in the development of the
state, ensuring regular payment of salaries and pensions, strides in
the Agricultural sector and assured that the Federal Government will
continue to work with Plateau State government.
“I am glad that the state government
has fully keyed into the All Green Initiative and the Anchor
Borrowers’ Scheme of the Federal Government considering the
strategic importance of agriculture to our national development.
Equally commendable is Plateau State’s commitment to the African
Development Bank-funded Potato Value Chain Support Project, which is
targeted at wealth creation, employment generation and food
security.”
In a statement by his Special Adviser
on Media, Femi Adeshina, President lauded Governor Lalong for
continuing with the projects abandoned by previous administrations ,
noting that this has saved the state from white elephant projects and
assured that the federal Government will speed up refunds on Federal
works executed by the state. “I have noted the request for refund
of funds expended on the rehabilitation of the Jos-Bukuru-Mararaba
Jema’a Road which is a Federal road project and other
interventions. Federal Government will expedite action towards the
refund of verified claims by the Plateau State Government,” he
said.
President Buhari also listed some of
Federal Government intervention activities such as the construction
of the Pankshin-Tapshin-Gambrar-Sara-Kai-Gindiri Road to Metropolitan
Construction Company Ltd; Execution of TETFUND Projects; Bail-Out
Funds; Paris Club Refunds and N-Power Scheme and assured that the
request for dualization and construction of the road from Abuja to
Jos will be put into consideration given its economic viability and
status as gateway extending to the North East.
Responding to a request by the Governor
for the inclusion of more Plateau State indigenes in Federal
appointments, President Buhari assured that, “the request will be
looked into so as to reflect federal character in line with the
Federal Government’s determination to address issues of
marginalization in the spread of appointments and other privileges.”
President Buhari also reminisced on his
time as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 3 Armoured Division
Jos, recalling that it was from this position that he was summoned to
become Head of State in January 1984.
The President had earlier commissioned
some road projects executed by the State Government and paid a
courtesy call on the Gbong Gwom Jos, Dr Jacob Gyang Buba.
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