The Plateau State Government has
responded in strong terms to Senator Jonah Jang’s rejection of the
grazing plans in Plateau – saying his interference is mischievous,
hypocritical and attention seeking.
In a long (1413 worded) reply, Governor
Simon Lalong, through his Director of Press and Public Affairs (Mr.
Emmanuel Nanle), lambasted Senator Jang – saying his 8 years as Governor
was wasteful and a burden to Plateau.
He said Jang does not have the morale
authority or standing to speak on such an issue, given his past record
in dealing with conflicts on the Plateau. He challenged the Senator’s
record in the Senate – saying his representation of the Plateau North
senatorial zone has been sub-standard and passive and that people in the
area are being short-changed because of his tepid activity.
Speaking on behalf of the Governor,
Emmanuel Nanle argued that grazing bill presents clear options and
benefits to all and sundry and that people will do well to key into it.
he said
“As for Governor Lalong, the people of Plateau are his
priceless assets; he will stop at nothing to ensure they stay united and
in peace. His consultative style of leadership will guarantee
participation and contribution on all matters; the grazing reserve,
Ranching and all Agricultural policies for the good of our people
inclusive“.
(At the time of filing this report,
the media aide to Governor Jang (Mr. Chris Garuba) had written a
rejoinder to Simon Lalong’s press release – we shall publish this later)
Below is the press release from the Director of Press Affairs to the Governor (Mr. Emmanuel Nanle)
It is sad that Senator Jonah Jang
has suddenly found his voice in the midst of the silence that has
characterized his representation of the Northern Senatorial District in
the Hallow Chambers of the Senate, only on a matter that sensational
political commentaries have raised to the stage of being a conflict
trigger.This we, know he enjoys because it
was what characterized his 8 years reign on the Plateau. The blatant
condemnation of the Grazing Reserve Policy as being anti-people, without
the depth of knowledge as to the content of the policy and many options
for Cattle Rearing, Livestock Farming and Improved Animal Husbandry
which it contains is again an eloquent testimony of his ‘we’ versus
‘them’ classification of citizens, even when the preservation of the
common humanity of the human being should be held sacrosanct.Repeatedly, Plateau has been thrown
into the throes of violent conflict on account of the careless,
unrestrained and unsolicited commentaries from those who take delight in
standing as heroes to gullible followership while the sane in our
society are plunged into senseless violent conflicts. One wonders how a
so called former Governor and serving Senator can issue a position on an
issue of National Importance to address socio-economic and National
Security concerns in the manner in which he did.Senator Jonah Jang in his press
statement made the following comments as it concerns the issue of
grazing reserve and Plateau; “The issue has generated a lot of
controversy amongst Plateau people because government has decided to
play politics with issues that affect the fabric which defines the
heritage of our people, their culture and their land. Plateau people
(regardless of creed, party affiliation or ethnicity) must rise against
any subtle attempt to cede their land for the purpose of satisfying the
selfish and egotistical whims of a few who are hell bent on disturbing
our collective peace”It is preposterous for a man who
destroyed the very fabric of our unity denominated in our peaceful
co-existence, on account of his selfish egoistic desire to hold onto
power tenaciously through the back door, to now want to claim a peace
ambassadorial posture when it goes against the very grain of his person.
Again he said; “for the Federal Government which owns no cattle, to
connive with willing State Governors to impose grazing reserve policy on
hapless citizens who have suffered the brunt on rampaging herdsmen in
the no distant past is not only an abuse of their rights but an assault
on their already battered psyche.This must vehemently be resisted”.
Governor Lalong has stated unequivocally that the issue of Grazing
Reserve and Ranches are options that are entirely within the purview of
the Customary Land Owners and Local Councils to volunteer for the
benefits of their people. Governor Lalong has not at any point acquired
compulsorily any land in any locality for the purpose of ceding to any
ethnic group or faith; it is public knowledge that this is incongruent
to his person and people oriented leadership character.Senator Jonah Jang is no doubt
reeling out his intrinsic consciousness, in which ethnicity and religion
defines the human being and the basis for his consideration as a living
being. This is the style of leadership that accounted for the Eight (8)
years reign of terror and bloodshed that has traumatised the psyche of
our people and to say the least have left more of his ethnic people
displaced from their ancestral land, without a solution from him rather
than the current remonstration and short sighted perception embedded in
his unsolicited commentaries. We dare to say, all these are in a bid to
launder his image at a time the peace loving people of Plateau are
working hard, to consign him into waste paper basket of our inglorious
past, under his leadership.At a time like this, his silence
would have been most credible especially that he has not deemed it fit
to attend any consultative meeting called by the State Government since
his disappearance to Abuja where superior contributions on the floor of
the Senate have stolen his voice, and his representation is increasingly
becoming a deficit to his constituents. This is very clear from the
absence of his contribution when the grazing funds were appropriated
into the budget by the National Assembly.Further to this, is the fact that
Senator Jang is still in a state of post-election trauma where he has
been left disillusioned and in a state of amnesia, forgetting the depth
of penury, deprivation, division and indebtedness he left the State. The
Lalong Administration is working her bones to salvage the people of
Plateau from the untold hardship he has left them, with a liability of
over N223bn, unpaid 8 months salary arrears, 13 months pension and
gratuities and spurious irrevocable standing orders for over-inflated
self serving contracts that have remained uncompleted. But for the
likelihood of senility, which sets in on account of age in some persons,
one would have wondered the hypocritical postures of Jang, calling on
the people of Plateau to bear “in his words the hardship meted out on
them by the present Government”. How Laughable and hypocritical for a
self acclaimed demigod! The Rescue Mission of the Lalong Administration
is out to bequeath an enduring legacy of peace and to give the people of
Plateau an opportunity to live a meaningful life with opportunities in
all sectors for their socio-economic development, as an essential
component of Human Security. The area of Agricultural, Solid Mineral
Development and Tourism are sectors of our discriminating competences in
the country and the government is injecting time, resources and
expertise to fully harness. The benefits have already started
manifesting with the execution of Memorandum of Understanding for the
revitalization of Moribund Industries and Chinese Industrialists have
undertaken inspections of mineral sites for exploitation and
establishment of processing industries.The Rescue Government of Barr Simon
Bako Lalong and Prof. Sonni Tyoden as a people oriented Government has
been consulting and has established a fourteen (14) man committee under
Professor Ochapa Onazi with membership cutting across Statutory
Agencies, Religious groups, Traditional Institutions and Professionals
in Agriculture to explore the benefits derivable from the best options
available to our people, as it concerns reduction to the bearest
minimum, incidences of farmers and nomads clash as well the best way to
guarantee improved cattle rearing and livestock farming. Let the likes
of Senator Jonah Jang who have for 8 years been unable to find a single
solution to the violent conflicts that gained currency under his
superintendence on account of the people’s intra and inter
ethno-religious contestation of space for survival and economic
well-being, leave us to evolve a solution that will give us lasting
peace.Furthermore, it behoves of every
person worthy of his age to leave the youth out of their manipulative
grip and allow them build a social compact that will guarantee the best
of Governance in a united Plateau. Monetary inducement and the
exploitation of their economic challenges for assignments that
discredits their persons is the greatest disservice to conscience.We are sure the likes of the Senator
and his political merchants who seek to draw political capital out of
prejudicial and pre-emptive protests must know that the Lalong
Administration is not a lame duck and any conduct that falls short of
the law will be brought to book.Finally, it is needful to say, the
shadow of Governor Lalong’s success alone is sending shivers down the
spine of Senator Jonah Jang who is no doubt under the burden of
conscience to prove that he is not solely the cause of the problems we
are groaning under an account of his kind person and leadership in the
past 8 years.As for Governor Lalong, the people
of Plateau are his priceless asset; he will stop at nothing to ensure
they stay united and in peace. His consultative style of leadership will
guarantee participation and contribution on all matters; the grazing
reserve, Ranching and all Agricultural policies for the good of our
people inclusive.
_VIEWPOINTNIGERIA
