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Gov. Lalong Reorganises Cabinet, ‘May Not Totally Serve All Shades Of Opinion, But Broad Spectrum Enough’

The Oasis Reporters

March 1, 2018

By Moses Gbande

 

Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong

Yakubu Datti Heads Information Ministry

 

 

Plateau state governor, Simon Bako Lalong, Thursday swore in twenty-three Commissioners and three Permanent secretaries with the immediate past image maker of FAAN, Hon Yakubu Datti emerging as commissioner for information.

Gov. Lalong in his speech appealed to citizens of the state to intensify prayers for all public office holders and desist from putting pressures over unrealistic demands so as to allow the opportunity for incorruptible selfless service to manifest more eloquently to make room for enough to serve the socio-economic needs of the citizenry.

According to Lalong, “It is my esteemed honour to address you today on the occasion of the Swearing-in of members of the reconstituted State Executive Council, and that of the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries in the Civil Service of our State.

“This occasion brings to an end the speculations and anxieties that has dominated public discourse since I announced the dissolution of Cabinet on the 8th of February, 2018.

“You will recall that in my public engagements since the dissolution, I have repeatedly informed citizens of the State as to the fact that the dissolution is not an indictment nor is it in any way a punitive measure to show my displeasure with the Cabinet. My appreciation of the efforts the members of the former cabinet had put in stabilizing government and setting the right direction for value addition, was an affirmative statement as to the sacrifices and commitment that the commissioners had put in, given the challenging state of finances which had confronted government on assumption of office.

“The dissolution was therefore to government a period for the re-ordering of priorities and the strategic rethinking of the governance direction of the Rescue Administration. The dissolution, you will agree with me also allowed an opportunity for the reaffirmation of confidence in the ability of those who made the new team from the past Exco, to know that much is still expected of them, for which they must think outside the box, given the essence of time when placed against the expectation of our people.

“Our consultative and participatory approach in keeping with our people’s oriented style of governance in the last three (3) weeks that followed the dissolution, has allowed for a value assessment of the capacity of those who have been sworn-in to deliver on the mandate and to be adjudged as having the capacity to represent effectively their constituents in government. Further to this and equally important is that it has allowed those who have desired to move ahead in their search of opportunities to represent their people in the forthcoming election, to forge ahead with their plan of action.

“I must therefore at this point, once again appreciate all those who served in the Cabinet and to say without mincing words, that the place of their services have gone down in history very well, earning them a place of repute in the roll call of honour in our State.

“As stakeholders in the Plateau Project, the State will continue to find their wealth of experience useful, in sustaining good governance practice on the Plateau, beyond the term of the Rescue Administration in office.

“My dear citizens of Plateau, the selection of these Commissioners though widely consultative in our bid to rejig the machinery of governance for effective and efficient service delivery, it cannot be said to have totally served all shades of opinion. Like I have always said, being a human process, it can definitely not be said to be perfect but it has in the best of my estimation and fairness of judgement, served the broad spectrum expectation of our citizens and the critical consideration of stakeholders whom we have entrusted the Rescue Project in their hands for the good of all, in the various constituencies that they represent. As the one on whose table the buck lies, I have ensured that constitutional representation by State Character is complied with, while special consideration for group interest and political balance which falls within my purview as governor to exercise, have been exercised in limited instances for the collective good of the State.

“As a Leader I take responsibility for the good that stands to our collective benefit out of this exercise, as well as for the human errors which time and chance will allow us correct in the course of our sincere service to the citizens of Plateau.

“Let me on the strength of the painstaking process that allowed for the re-appointment of most members of the last Exco back into Cabinet alongside the new members, to say that your reappointment is an affirmation that you have all it takes to do better than you did before. You are therefore not only to inject speed into the race you have already started but ensure that you work hard to surmount the hurdles that would have hindered the best of your service in the last one and half years.
“The new Commissioners on the other hand are not entirely new to Public Service responsibility, and as such, they would be expected not only to hit the ground running, but ensure that they keep pace with the speed of those they are now joining to make the formidable team, for the accelerated delivery of the dividends of democracy to our people.

“I must say that your focus would be effective supervision of your Ministries and the prudent application of the limited resources at your disposal, to the completion of on-going projects. Our commitment to project continuity, good governance policy continuity and global best practices in service delivery, is a resolve that you must ensure is not compromised at any point. I am sure by now you have extensively familiarised yourselves with the Administration’s Five Policy Thrust, and that you have already engaged yourselves in strategically thinking through the critical path, to the actualization of the mandate that falls within your purview upon the allocation of portfolio.

“Only recently, I directed the unbundling of certain Ministries and the creation of six (6) additional Ministries, in a bid to strengthen and accelerate the machinery of service delivery within record time. The affected Ministries are well aware that the budget lines approved in the 2018 Budget remain the approval expenditure line for them and the new Ministries carved out from the Former Ministries. Financial discipline and budget intelligence must therefore be applied to reduce needless expenditure on overheads, while strict supervision must be ensured through the bureaucracies of theory of new governance structure which has reduced the workload of the old Ministries, to ensure effective performance and service delivery within the streamlined schedule of the new Ministries.

“As you come on board as Commissioners and new Permanent Secretaries, I expect to see the kind of synergy and partnership that will produce the kind of results we look forward to, from the technocrats, bureaucrats and the Political Class in office. The maintenance of the highest work ethics anchored on professionalism, responsible management of human and financial resource, discipline, respect for the rule of law and above all, the fear of God in public service is expected of all of you as custodians of the commonwealth of the people of Plateau. I am not in doubt that you already share in this conviction of public service and that you are fully prepared to apply this conviction, in the service you have been called to render to humanity and to our dear State.

“Let me at this juncture state categorically that the Rescue Government is a Team, and the mandate we have is to deliver as a Team on all that the Plateau people are expecting of us. So while as Civil Servants, Permanent Secretaries, Commissioners and as a Party, we deploy our individual talents in the various areas of our responsibilities, it is the collective outcome of our individual efforts as a part of the whole, that will make our government a success. In this wise, our areas of posting and the portfolios to which we shall be assigned are service vehicles for transporting the highest and best good of the Rescue Administration for the citizens of Plateau. We therefore will all be allocated functional vehicles and how we drive it, will determine whether we get to the destination or not. I am however in my exercise of discretion in the allocation of portfolios, guided by the willingness of all of you as political appointees to serve in any Ministry. Since service is therefore the focus, any Ministry is a benefiting platform. “Notwithstanding this while professionalism will inform allocation to some ministries, my judgment of your individual capacities to serve in a certain ministry better than the other has guided the allocation of ministry

” On this note, the Commissioners in Cabinet have been assigned portfolios as follows;
1. BARR CHRYSANTHUS AHMADU, MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

2 HON. YAKUBU DATTI MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

3 HON. LUKA MADAKI
MINISTRY OF HOUSING

4 HON. BULUS BOT
MINISTRY OF PHYSICAL PLANNING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

5 HON. EZEKIEL DICK DAJU
MINISTRY OF MINERAL DEVELOPMENT

6 MRS ANNA TALATU IZAM
MINISTRY OF WOMEN AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

7 MAL. AHMED HUH AM MAD NAZIF
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT

8 MR SYLVESTER IBRAHIM WALLANGKO
MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC PLANNING

9 MR. PAM BOT-MANG
MINISTRY OF WORKS

10 ALH. DAYYABU YUSUF GARGA MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND CHIEFTAINCY AFFAIRS

11 DR. HOSEA ISTIPHANUS
FINANGWAI
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

12 MRS. TAMWAKAT WELI
MINISTRY AND TOURISM, CULTURE AND HOSPITALITY

13 ENGR. DAVID JA’AFARU WUYEP
MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES AND ENERGY

14 HON. HITLER FANKUN DADI
MINISTRY OF SPECIAL DUTIES AND INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

15 USMAN YAKUBU IDI (BAMAIYI) MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

16 MR DAKUR JUDE ELI MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SECONDARY)

17 DR. (MRS) REGINA B. SOEMLAT
MINISTRY OF FINANCE

18 HON VICTOR LAPANG MINISTRY OF YOUTH AND SPORTS

19 MRS ELIZABETH WAPMUK
MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

20 HON DANIEL MANJANG
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

21 BARR VELNOE FESTUS FUANTER
MINISTRY OF LANDS AND SURVEY

22 ALH ABDULLAHI GARBA ABBAS
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT

23 DR DEYIN KUDEN KAMSHAK
MINISTRY OF HEALTH

The newly appointed Permanent Secretaries are :
Mr Isaac Maram
Mrs Larai Ibn Shuaibu Adamu
and Mrs Mary Ishaya Afan.
They would be assigned their Ministries by the Head of Civil Service.

You now all have the opportunity to imprint your names in Gold, as you serve the State selflessly and meritoriously. My prayers are with you for a successful period of service, while my eyes are on you to watch your service for reward or for reprimand.

I will not conclude this speech without thanking the Rt. Hon. Speaker and Honourable Members of the House of Assembly, for their commitment to the Rescue Agenda. Your speedy and thorough screening of the Commissioners in record time, is yet another clear indication of the shared burden we carry in ensuring no vacuum is left in Government, as we seek to deliver to our people the dividends of good governance. I continue to look forward to the sustenance of a robust executive-legislative relationship.

I thank our Great Party, the All Progressives Congress, Elders, Traditional Rulers and Stakeholders for the sustained guidance that has aided right decisions and ensured stability in the business of Government

Above all I thank all our citizens on the Plateau for your prayers, partnership and sustained confidence in Government. With you as essential part of our people oriented Government, we shall overcome the hurdles in our purposeful march to the Promised Land”.

Greg Abolo

Blogger at The Oasis Reporters.

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