Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, in this interview with some select journalists in Abuja opens up about his administration’s commitment to partner with the Federal Government to revive the solid mineral sector, recover ‘stolen funds’ and other contending issues affecting the state. KEHINDE ABDULSALAM was there. Excerpts:
Your Excellency, Plateau has this Motto, ‘Home of Peace and Tourism.’ You have achieved some progress in the area of peace. What are you doing about tourism?
If you don’t have peace, you can’t get tourism. Plateau was known as the home of Peace and Tourism. As part of our five Pillar Trusts when we came in, Peace and Security was number one. The first thing we did was to try to maintain peace in the region. We tried to engender peace between the Fulanis and the Biroms. We went as far as establishing a committee to handle their problem. We proposed the Bureau for Conflict Management and the law necessary to put it in place is about to be signed. With the help of various organisations, and civil societies, we were able to contain the issue of insecurity in the state. Some former war-torn areas are not free areas for the people. In the area of tourism, we are really working on increasing the tourist potentials of the state especially wild life, the Pandam wild life park which is untapped, the Wase Rock and others. We just finished a one-week retreat and one of the areas of discussion was commerce and tourism. For example, we are planning on rebuilding the main market also, this we have already started working on; calling on various organisations to come and help in its rebuilding.
In view of the dwindling revenue from Oil, we know that Plateau is one of the richest states in terms of solid mineral, what is your blueprint in revamping the solid mineral sector in the state to ensure that you look inward to generate revenue and look away from oil?
Before the shift in our focus on oil, nobody was bothered about solid mineral resources, we left it to illegal miners, but now, this is the time to think outside the box. The state used to be the headquarters of the Nigerian Mining Corporation, that will tell you the importance of mining to the people of the state. In days of old when people were talking about groundnut and cocoa, we were beating our chests and talking about mining that was why the name Jos became very important nationwide. When the fall in the price of oil happened, we decided to return to mining. When the federal minister for solid minerals visited the state, he told me that the best input he got from contributions as to ways of improving the solid mineral industry was from Jos. Those contributions helped us at the National Economic Council to form the bedrock of the policies concerning solid minerals at both the federal and state levels. Virtually every local government in the state has solid minerals. Unlike before, the President is very much interested in upholding the law and has stated that the states must participate in the exploration of solid minerals within their own territories. We, on the plateau are also working on how to take advantage of the policies concerning revenue generation with respect to solid minerals.
You won the election on the platform of the APC. How far have you been able to gain the cooperation of other members of the political divide in the past eight months?
First of all, I will say that Plateau is a very unique state in the sense that when they want to do something, they do it. It is also a very religious state that is why you don’t find many cases of corruption in our state. Prior to the election, due to the situation of things, many indigenes of the state had already decided that they needed a ‘Change’. I used to be Speaker under the PDP for seven years but due to the unsatisfactory state of things within the party, some of us had to join the opposition-APC. We won the election due to the collective opinion of Plateau indigenes and the hard work of the APC. What we are planning to do is to join hands with everybody including members of other parties to handle the Plateau together as a project, thereby bringing in hope, equity and justice among people of the state.
Please tell us more about the anti-corruption war by APC in the state.
I have said it severally. The fact that you are not hearing anything in that line does not mean that we are not fighting corruption on the plateau. We have sent in several cases to the EFCC and ICPC. The accountant general came and he is from the EFCC. They were called to come and give evidences about some investigations that are going on. We have a lot of investigations going on and we have had a lot of arrests, many of them from the past administration are on bail. At the appropriate time, EFCC will prosecute. We formed a transition committee which came out and told the Plateau people about their findings. We have submitted some of our reports to the EFCC, and also commissioned a reputable accounting firm, KPMG, to help in auditing the state. At the appropriate time when the results are out, you will see the outcome. Recently, we recovered about N2.7billion in the state, money that was regarded as lost. We traced and recovered the money which was meant for teachers. Teachers, civil servants, the judiciary have gone on several months of strike, some nine, some 11, but now, since I came on board, we have been doing our best. We now have arrears of salaries of only two months. For teachers, we paid all, they are back to work. The judiciary is also back to work. So for the Plateau, we are moving well but in the area of corruption, we are putting pressure on the EFCC to hasten their investigations so that they can begin prosecution and we can also gain recovery of looted funds.
What is the update on the issue of bailout and have you finished paying all outstanding salaries?
No, in my state, not yet. Before the issue of bailout, we had already started paying workers in the state and when the issue of bailout came, we applied for N10 billion which was supposed to be for the arrears of salaries for about eight to nine months and so far, we have only received five billion naira. Plateau was supposed to get N10 billion for salaries and N10 billion for infrastructure but all we have got so far from the CBN is five billion naira. Even with that, we have been able to clear most of the arrears of salaries. We only have an outstanding of two months salaries not paid that is for the state. We have paid all the outstanding salaries for all our local governments. If I am able to get my balance of five billion, within a week, all the remaining salaries outstanding would have been cleared.
Why are other states finding it difficult to implement Treasury Single Accounts?
Well, in Plateau, we are already implementing TSA. Immediately I heard the President mention TSA, I called my accountant-general and told him to immediately implement TSA in my state. I am not an accountant but immediately I became aware of both the advantages and disadvantages of TSA, I gave the instruction that it should be implemented. I organised a committee immediately and today, TSA is being implemented. I don’t know why some governors are finding it difficult to implement TSA in their states but out of the TSA implementation in our state, we have gained some dividends. We are now tracing some accounts that were not known to us before and we are seeing some excesses in those accounts, especially in some of the ministries. So, I will advise other states that have not yet implemented TSA to start doing so.
Just like the President, are you also under pressure to stop the anti-corruption war in your state and also, are you not worried about the declining popularity of the APC among Nigerians due to slow implementation of policies in the past eight months?
Well, I will say I am worried because of the kind of complaints that are coming and also because of the impatience of Nigerians. If you begin to compare the state of the nation before the election, you will understand what the president is facing. Before 2014, the cost per barrel of oil in this country was above 140 dollars, but today it is just about 28 dollars with the same budget and responsibilities, and in my state, the same salaries. In the last seven or eight years, allocation to my state was about five to eight billion naira, but today, with a salary cost of about N1.8 billion, our monthly allocation is just between N1.6 and N2billion.
We know people are expecting change but they should also understand the economic situation. I think we need to be patient. With the reform that’s going on, the expected change will come but it may not be immediate. Let us give ourselves at least one year and see what the president and states are doing. Some of us are already diversifying. We are moving into agriculture and other ways of diversifying. For me, if you give me between six months to one year, with adequate funding, like getting our full bailout, let me go into IGR and by God’s grace when you come, you will see a different plateau.
If you are fighting corruption, it will also fight you. The people of Plateau know what I am going through. There are frustrations here and there. Sometimes people, when called upon by the EFCC, refuse to come and give evidence when it is very glaring. They refuse and run away and this makes it difficult to prosecute. Fighting corruption is a sacrifice that everyone must do if we have to make this country work.
Well initially, there was misconception about what we were saying. The governors were appealing to the president to consider the position of the states because there are so many unemployed people on the streets who need gainful employment but the state governments are finding it difficult to pay the present salaries, so the governors were now calling for measures and thank God, the president has introduced measures like that of the solid minerals which will help in internal revenue generation. It will be very difficult to downsize on the Plateau, I don’t intend to and I will not. All I want to do is to maintain what I have and also improve on it. That’s why our concentration is on improving on the revenue so that we can, if possible, employ additional workforce. Downsizing, in this present administration is going to be very difficult. The president has advised state governments and even corporate organisations not to downsize.
What is your target or plan for Plateau United and other sports?
I used to be a footballer. I played alongside Nduka Ugbade but I could not further due to my education. When I came in, within two to three weeks, I was able to take Plateau United to the premiership division. Concerning other sports, we are trying our best to support based on our present capability. When I came on board, I inherited a big, uncompleted stadium but I decided to go ahead and complete it and by the time we are done, even the super eagles will be able to use it for training, considering the weather and accommodation. Last year, we had a golf tournament, ‘The Governor’s Cup’. The turnout was more than expected.
Should the president continue his multiple trips, are they of any benefit to the Nigerian economy?
I don’t see anything wrong with it. Presently, I am granting an interview in Abuja and not in Jos. If I didn’t travel to Abuja from Jos, who will fight for my bailout? For example, foreigners have stopped coming to Jos due to insecurity. If you want private investors, you have to travel all the way to Abuja because that’s where the foreigners are. That is also exactly what Mr. President is doing. He is trying to attract private investors into the country to do business. He has been invited to several workshops and seminars. The Vice President is also important but let’s allow the President for now. It is not because he travelled that a problem occurred with the budget.
Concerning roads, when I came in, I inherited a debt of about N200 billion and also outstanding contraction liabilities of over N105 billion and all we met was just about N95 million. Uncompleted projects littered everywhere including the main entrance to Jos city itself. The contract was given but it was abandoned. What I did was to start completing those projects. There was an uncompleted flyover bridge in Jos which we have now completed to the amazement of many; the main roads are all under construction. If I am able to get my bailout, I will be able to complete most of the projects and even engage in new ones.
The EFCC chairman has stated that lawyers also have a role to play in the state of corruption in the nation. What is your stand?
If there are allegations to a profession like that it is good to be specific. Each profession has a way to discipline its members. This means that there are members who are recalcitrant. So, it is better to name those lawyers, arrest, investigate and prosecute them. I also have been detained by EFCC in 2005/2006 for more than 40 days before I was later prosecuted, discharged and acquitted by the Supreme Court. All because I wanted to follow due process with regards to illegal impeachment. I was speaker then.
What is the place of women in your government?
In the APC manifesto, which we also imbibed in our state, we have something called the three ‘Es’- Empowerment, Engagement and Employment for youths and women. We have two female commissioners and seven permanent secretaries who are doing excellently well. So, we are taking good care of women affairs in the state.
KEHINDE ABDULSALAM
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