Plateau State PDP suffering from idleness-Hon. Namang

Plateau State PDP suffering from idleness-Hon. Namang

The opposition People's Democratic Party PDP on the Plateau has been described as an idle political party, by the Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressive Congress APC, Hon. Sylvanus Namang. 

Hon. Namang made the disclosure in a press statement which he made available to this medium stated that, The PDP in Plateau state which is suffering from idleness and has resorted to showing its presence through cheap, ridiculous and baseless press releases is at it again.

Hon. Namang also revealed that the party has finally proved itself as a party of hero worshippers and hunter dogs of a sole administrator who sees nothing good in the achievement of his predecessor.

That is exactly what the party has unfortunately demonstrated through its spokesman who is not tired or mindful of appending his signature on prepared scripts and it's read as follows:

16th March, 2022.

APC PLATEAU STATE CHAPTER, EWAREWAH HOUSE, YAKUBU GOWON WAY, JOS .

RE: LALONG AND THE GROUND BREAKING OF DECEIT AND LIES.

The PDP in Plateau state which is suffering from idleness and and has resorted to showing its presence through cheap, ridiculous and baseless press releases is at it again.

The party has finally proved itself as a party of hero worshippers and hunter dogs of a sole administrator who sees nothing good in the achievement of his predecessor.

That is exactly what the party has unfortunately demonstrated through its spokesman who is not tired or mindful of appending his signature on prepared scripts.

The APC in Plateau state finds it worrying that the PDP in Plateau state would still be quarrelling with itself over the laudable construction of the British - America Flyover and Dualisation of the Lamingo Junction Roundabout is borne out of the need ro alleviate the plight motorists and other road users go through along this corridor which is one of the major links to the North East.

Just because it refused to consider this project as a necessity during its eight years tenure, the party has right from the onset, condemned this project being planned and executed by the Rescue Administration of Governor Simon Bako Lalong.

At first, they falsely claimed N18 billion was going to be spent on this obviously people -oriented project against the actual cost of N9 billion.

When that cheap propaganda failed, they now describe the project which work has since commenced on as a "ground breaking ceremony of deceit and lies"

As hero worshippers, just beceause they failed to think and act Plateau but rather chose to resort to a mindless isolationist governance, which severed Plateau State from the federal government and its federating states which resulted to project flights and denials for eight years, what it failed to do and which is now being executed must be condemned.

In the course of its condemnation, let the PDP be informed that it has for several reasons, stired the hornet's nest.

It condemned the well thought idea of inviting our most respected, mercurial and unblemished former longest serving Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon's invitation to perform this all important ceremony.

It mischievously stated that the Plateau State Government should not disturb the former Head of state which according to it is an abuse of responsibility, (whatever that means) and lack of respect for the respected elder statesman.

Nothing can be more hypocritc and unbelievable for this statement coming from the PDP about our dear former Head of state and a distinguished son of Plateau state.

The PDP had for all its eight years demonstrated utter disregard and well known contempt for the former Head of State.

During their eight- year maladministration of the state, everything General Yakubu Gowon stood was ridiculed and bastardised.

First was the well conceived establishment of the Plateau State University by the Governor Joshua Dariye administration which General Yakubu Gowon was invited to lay its foundation.

When Governor Jonah Jang came in 2007, the University became one of the first victims and casualties of his administration.

He closed it down for the eight years of his tenure with hundreds of students left stranded.

As a result of this, one of his party's kingpins, the late Alexander Mwolwus once described him as Boko Haram based on his serial hatred for western education. 

 Then came the Haipang Inland Container Depot, a federal project attracted by the Dariye administration whose foundation laying ceremony was also performed by General Yakubu Gowon. 

 The Jang administration frustrated the execution of the project which the neighbouring Bauchi state  government wanted it relocated to its state.

 The project awarded to Duncan Maritme company became a subject of prolonged litigation which took the ingenuity and maturity of Governor Lalong for the issue to be finally resolved.

 In its eight years on the saddle in the state, unlike the Lalong administration,  the Jang administration didn't deem it fit to even honour General Yakubu Gowon with a mere birthday wish.

 So between the two who  is guilty of disrespecting our dear General Yakubu Gowon?

 The General knows who genuinely loves and respect him in Plateau state. This he did not hide when he praised Governor Lalong for not only undertaking  the British -America flyover construction but for exhibiting political maturity by continuing with inherited projects and completing them in addition to initiating and executing others spread across the entire state. 

 One other area where the PDP opened the cesspool of its corruption is the issue of projects awarded during its eight years but  which it claimed Governor Lalong has abandoned.

 The PDP's assertion amounts to mere grandstanding and a feeling of guilt.

 For the record, most of the projects awarded by the Jang administration including those hurriedly awarded on the twilight of his administration,  got  certificates raised  and payments made for jobs which were never executed. 

 The party made mention in its press release of the National Library-Abbattoir flyover which passes through the former Governor's business hub of a Night Club and Radio station. 

 That flyover  contract  awarded by former Governor Jonah Jang himself  was a disaster waiting to happen. It had defective designs which are not easily correctable but  the contractor had been paid.

The present Chairman of the party in the state, Chris Hassan who was the Commissioner of Works under Jang is fully aware of this and many more we shall mention.

The party only wants  to score cheap political points but it has unwittingly ended up exposing and ridiculing itself.

 Most of the road contracts were awarded and hurriedly paid for and commissioned when they were nowhere near completion! 

 Picking the Roads one after the other which they claimed have been  abandoned by a government that still has more than one year to go is  simply preposterous. 

The APC in the state would like to take the pains to explain the  status of these contracts for the benefit of unsuspecting readers which the PDP is always trying to deceive as a pass time.

 First with respect to the Langkang-Dyis -Kagu - Sikin 24 Km road which is jinxed as it has defied completion since 1999, the Lalong Administration’s has approved Revised Estimated Total Cost ( RETC) with  the contractor being fully mobilised back to site with work going on in earnest.

 Work is ongoing on the Kuba- Tanti-Manguna 66 kilometer road as the contractor has also been mobilised to site. The payment certificate has been raised and approved. 

 The  Tahoss -Ganawuri road which was fraudulenttly awarded to PW was revoked and rewarded to Jodalsam Limited and work is ongoing. 

 The RETC for the construction of the Fobur-Naton - Fursa -Maijuju-Zandi road has been approved with the contractor fully mobilised to site. 

The contract for the Mbar- Mangar- Richa-Kamwai Road, one of the contracts hurriedly awarded at the twilight of the Jang administration with huge part payment made has been terminated due to glaring irregularities. 

The 13 Km Mangu bye pass road awarded to PW was revoked and reawarded to Moulds Nigeria Ltd and work is progressing in earnest and would like others, be completed and commissioned  before the end of the tenure of this administration. 

 One embarrassing project by the Jang Administration is the work on the Plateau Publishing Corporation building, otherwise known as Joseph Gomwalk House.

 The once beautiful and tallest edifice in the North Central geopolitical zone,  has under Jang's  tenure been left  lying fallow and in a very dilapidation condition. 

 The contract has become a subject of litigation as the contractor who committed his  personal money into it without government refund has refused to leave. Attempts have been severally made to resolve the issue by the Rescue Administration of Governor Lalong to enable it renovate this hitherto place of pride and cherished heritage of Plateau people but to no avail. 

 It also alleged diversion of funds for the World Bank financed water infrastructure within Jos- Bukuru metropolice. This is as dishonest as it is a grant cover up by the PDP given  the  high level fraud perpetrated by it in the water sector. 

 The PDP is aware that World Bank financed projects whose funds are totally controlled by the agency usually come with very strict regulations including its personal handling of payments.

The PDP owes consumers explanation for the obsolete water meters which were fully paid for running into hundreds of millions but which cannot be put to use and lying waste at the State water board. Someone somewhere ought to have been prosecuted over this daylight fraud against the state.

 In conclusion, the good news about the British-America flyover construction work is that it is  going to be completed and put to use before the end of the Lalong administration. 

 The project which has  an 18  months completion deadline from December last year is fully on course.

 It is being executed under a novel Public Private Partnership ( PPP) where a reputable finance institution has provided all the required funds with  full government guarantee. In fact 50 per cent part payment made.

 To  demonstrate goverment's seriousness and commitment towards this well- conceived project, the governor has directed that  in every 30 days,  milestones should be achieved. 

 That is the difference between a truly Rescue Administration and the immediate past reckless administration. 

 

Signed : 

 Hon. Sylvanus Namang,

 APC State Publicity Secretary