Plateau: Gov Mutfwang Says Insecurity, Debt Burden Are Major Challenges

By Ayodele Oni

Plateau state Governor, Caleb Mutfwang has given details of debt profile and financial position of the state four months after his inauguration.

The governor, in a state wide broadcast, revealed that his administration inherited a state engulfed in daily renewed attacks of our beloved ones, Civil servants were on strike due to unpaid salaries in the neighourhood of N11bn and unfulfilled obligations.

“The debt burden was in excess of N300 billion, constituting huge debt servicing burdens. Indeed, the problems were enormous.

“You will recall that I have stated at several fora that upon being sworn-in, we met a state in dire need of attention and repair with so many institutional and physical structures at the verge of collapse.

“This is in spite of the beautiful and blessed land bequeathed to us by God with abundant human and natural resources. Our potential for growth and development is huge with limitless opportunities.

“Among the issues we have been tackling since assumption of office, was the heightened security challenges and renewed attacks in some local governments on the eve of our swearing in that confronted us in the face;  an over bloated civil service with some questionable appointments on the eve of elections.

“Regardless, we have so far put in place mechanisms to restore peace in the state and due process in the civil service, correct employment maleficence, appointments and placement irregularities saving Plateau people a significant amount of money monthly.”

The governor stated that substantial part of the state fund  had in the past been diverted into the private pockets of some corrupt individuals, who have been shortchanging and robbing the state through ghost workers and other illicit schemes deployed.

“We were not surprised when those benefitting from this criminality, sponsored elements on a social media smear campaign targeted at us, all in a bid to veil their terrible actions.

“We have set the machinery of the law in motion and it will soon take its course in bringing such individuals to account. After a painstaking process of identifying these leakages, we cleared the backlog of salaries and have paid up to July 2023, while that of August will commence in the coming days.”

Mutfwang however charged indigenes of the state to continue to be law abiding and should not allow anything to alter their confidence and trust in his administration.