From Jude Owuamanam Jos
Members of the Plateau State Executive Council have given the Governor Caleb Mutfwang administration a pass mark in the two years of his government.
The Commissioners took time to reel out the achievements of the administration during a ministerial briefing in Jos.
In his presentation, Plateau State Head of Civil Service, Mr. Steven Pam Godongs, said the state had witnessed unprecedented transformation aimed at creating a responsive professional and productive workforce.
He said that the government had prioritised staff welfare, training and housing with the commitment of over N372 million for land acquisition in Basa Local Government Area to kick start a new civil service housing scheme.
According to him, the government had cleared all arrears of salaries and pensions with monthly salary being paid as and when due.
He said that a monthly release of N400 million had been approved to address the long-standing backlog of pensions and gratuities; some dating back to 1986.
Commissioner of Transport, Jatau Gyang Davou, said the government had reached an arrangement with the management of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) to establish a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Conversion Centre and LNG Mega Station in Jos.
He said a suitable location had been identified for a temporary site to commence operations after a facelift of the facility.
He added that the State Ministry of Transport had equally concluded discussions with the NITT to establish a training and learning centre in Jos, hoping to take off in September, 2025; a move borne out of the need for skilled/professional transport operators, technicians and managers to manage the state investments in transportation.
“The institute will be running courses and programmes in the transport space to include short- and long-term certificates, national diplomas, advanced national diplomas, postgraduate diplomas and masters in transportation and logistics.”
He further pointed out that the ministry had secured an approval from Greenville Limited for the establishment of a mega station for CNG in the state to cater to the Northeastern and other neighbouring states.
According to him, an approval for five hectares had been granted for the commencement of this foreign direct investment, adding that the certificate of occupancy is being anticipated from the Ministry of Lands, Survey, and Town Planning for execution of the project within a maximum period of six months .
Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mohammed Salisu Nyalum, while giving the scorecard of his ministry, said he believes that commerce is a key driver of development in the state and plans to implement a digital market to facilitate trade.
He said he was also aware of Plateau State’s reputation as a hub for industries in the North Central region and aims to create an enabling environment for those industries to thrive
He said the ministry had done quite a lot in overseeing business registration and licensing, supervising cooperative societies through inspection and regulation, supervision of all markets across the state and managing commercial spaces.
He said his ministry was collaborating and engaging with stakeholders like the Plateau State Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (PLACCIMA), and federal agencies like the Nigeria Export Promotion Council(NEPC), the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in developing partners on commerce and trade projects