Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has highlighted major achievements recorded by his administration in the areas of security, infrastructure, civil service reforms, agriculture, mining, tourism, healthcare, and youth development as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 2026 Democracy Day celebration.
Governor Mutfwang spoke during the #2027Conversation Town Hall Meeting held in Jos on June 12, 2026, organized by Verified Conversation in collaboration with Inside Plateau.
The governor said democracy remains the foundation for accountability, citizen participation, and good governance, stressing that the progress recorded by his administration over the past three years was made possible through the mandate freely given by the people of Plateau State.
Reflecting on his administration’s journey since assuming office, Mutfwang described himself as a beneficiary of democracy, noting that the democratic system creates opportunities for citizens to contribute to national development regardless of background.
“Over the past three years, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to building a government anchored on transparency, accountability, compassion, integrity, and responsible leadership,” he stated.
On security, the governor described insecurity as the major challenge inherited by his administration but noted that decisive measures had been taken to restore peace across vulnerable communities.
According to him, the government revitalized Operation Rainbow, trained and deployed over 2,000 community-based personnel to support intelligence gathering, strengthened collaboration with security agencies, and established emergency response channels to tackle criminal activities.
“Two days after assumption of office, we convened a State Security Council meeting and followed it up with personal visits to displaced persons’ camps and affected communities,” he said, adding that his administration would not negotiate with criminal elements.
Speaking on workers’ welfare and civil service reforms, Mutfwang disclosed that his administration inherited salary arrears amounting to over ₦11 billion with only ₦1.1 billion available to government at the time.
He said through prudent financial management, the administration cleared salary backlogs, ensured regular payment of salaries, and paid over ₦20 billion in pensions and gratuities.
The governor also highlighted merit-based appointments, improved staff welfare, and capacity-building programmes aimed at strengthening professionalism in the civil service.
On economic growth, Mutfwang revealed that Plateau State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) had increased from less than ₦1 billion monthly in 2023 to between ₦3 billion and ₦3.5 billion monthly due to reforms in the revenue sector.
He identified mining as one of the state’s strategic economic sectors and announced ongoing efforts to revitalize the Plateau Mineral Development Company as well as establish value-addition industries, including a modern tin-processing facility.
The governor further disclosed that his administration was repositioning Plateau’s tourism sector through upgrades at the Jos Wildlife Park, tourism infrastructure development, and implementation of a Tourism Master Plan aimed at attracting investors.
In the agricultural sector, Mutfwang said the government was shifting from subsistence farming to mechanized and commercial agriculture through investments in improved seedlings, fertilizer distribution, irrigation projects, and modern farming technologies.
He revealed that locally manufactured hand tillers developed by a Plateau innovator were currently undergoing pilot testing, with plans to scale up production if successful.
“We are test-running about 200 hand tillers this farming season. If successful, we will scale up production to 2,000 units. Our goal is to eliminate the drudgery of manual farming and make agriculture attractive to young people,” he stated.
The governor also announced the procurement of about 500 trucks of fertilizer for farmers ahead of the farming season and investments in livestock production, dairy development, ranching infrastructure, and modern abattoirs.
In healthcare, Mutfwang said significant investments had been made in Plateau Specialist Hospital and other health facilities to position the state as an emerging healthcare hub.
“In the health sector, we have done quite a lot. We have significantly improved the status of Plateau State Specialist Hospital, and we are building capacity to transform it into a Teaching Hospital,” he said.
On education, he noted that tuition fees had been reduced in state-owned tertiary institutions, while scholarship support and investments in human capital development had also been increased.
The governor further pointed to ongoing road projects, the Metro Bus Scheme, urban renewal initiatives, and investments in water infrastructure as part of efforts to improve the living conditions of residents.
As part of Democracy Day activities, Governor Mutfwang approved absolute pardon for four citizens of Plateau State following recommendations by the Plateau State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.
The beneficiaries are Nanchang Ramyil, Sale Ayuba, Abdullahi Haruna A. Yusuf, and John Monday.
According to the governor, the decision reflects his administration’s commitment to balancing justice with mercy, rehabilitation, and reintegration.
He urged Plateau residents to continue supporting efforts aimed at promoting peace, unity, and social cohesion across the state.
Speaking at the event, Team Lead of Verified Conversation, Samson Omale, said the initiative was designed to create a platform for direct engagement between citizens and leaders in order to strengthen accountability and democratic participation.
Omale explained that the #2027Conversation initiative was not politically motivated but intended to promote issue-based dialogue, citizen engagement, and leadership accountability ahead of future elections.
He added that the platform was being broadcast live on 15 radio stations to reach millions of listeners across Plateau State and beyond.
Also speaking, the Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Rt. Hon. Joyce Ramnap, described the town hall meeting as part of government’s deliberate commitment to transparency and accountability.
She said despite the shortcomings of democracy, the system provides citizens with the opportunity to exercise their rights and demand accountability from leaders.
The event featured panel discussions on the gains of democracy and attracted government officials, stakeholders from various sectors, youths, and women groups.
