Plateau State Governor Barr. Caleb Mutfwang has on Tuesday morning in a state Broadcast expressed his gratitude to the citizens of the State, particularly the youth, for their peaceful and dignified conduct during the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests.
Governor Mutfwang acknowledged the citizens’ frustrations and pains, emphasizing his administration’s commitment to addressing poverty and its attendant consequences.
He highlighted various initiatives aimed at poverty alleviation, including investments in agriculture, public transportation, health, and education.
“Our efforts in public transportation, investments in agriculture – including training 20 youths per local government in modern agribusiness – improvements in the health and education sectors, etc., have all been geared towards laying the foundation for poverty alleviation. You will also recall that we gave out over 200 trucks of fertiliser and other palliatives in conjunction with the federal government. We are very hopeful that we shall reap a bumper harvest this season, which will go a long way in providing food security.
“Furthermore, we have started the empowerment of several Plateau State citizens with a token of N50,000 through the Plateau State Microfinance Development Agency (PLASMIDA), which is aimed at supporting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The gesture was to ensure measurable improvement to the quality of life of MSMEs in the State by providing business development support to indigent persons. I assure you that we will sustain and improve on this intervention.
Mutfwang appealed for patience and understanding, recognizing that the journey to prosperity is long-term.
He assured citizens that his administration is working tirelessly to create a peaceful and prosperous Plateau, where no one goes to bed hungry, no child is denied education, and no one dies prematurely due to lack of medical care.
The Governor also addressed the recent infiltration of protests by sponsored criminals and hoodlums, justifying the imposition of a 24-hour curfew in Jos-Bukuru metropolis.
“My dear brothers and sisters, the more we continue with the protests, the more the likelihood of being hijacked by sponsored criminals and hoodlums like we began to notice from Sunday evening.
“Based on the intelligence at our disposal, we know the lawful protests have been infiltrated by criminals who were waiting for an opportunity to loot shops, attack and rob innocent citizens of their hard-earned belongings.
“We even saw the display of foreign flags by some of these criminally minded intruders. So as a responsible government, we had to take proactive steps to prevent further acts of criminality; thus, the 24-hour curfew we imposed on Jos-Bukuru metropolis starting from Sunday midnight.
He commended traditional, community, and religious leaders, as well as civil society organizations, for their efforts in maintaining peace and appealed for continued patience and lawfulness.
Governor Mutfwang however urged citizens to remain united in building a prosperous and secure state, reiterating his administration’s commitment to addressing their concerns and ensuring a better future for all.
