The Plateau State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Chief Ephraim Usman Gar, has said the 17 local government councils are executing people-oriented projects aimed at addressing the needs of communities across the state.
Usman disclosed this during a press briefing at the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Jos, where he presented highlights of a statewide inspection tour of projects across the three senatorial zones.
He explained that the inspection was organised to assess completed and ongoing projects, ensure judicious utilisation of public funds and verify compliance with quality standards.
“Across the 17 local governments, I am glad to report that projects executed are people-oriented and based on the actual needs of the communities, in line with the vision of the Time Is Now administration of His Excellency, Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang,” he said.
In the Southern Zone, the inspection team visited youth centres, mini stadiums, computer-based test centres, legislative chambers, solar-powered streetlights, primary healthcare centres and motorised boreholes.
Projects inspected in the Central Zone included road construction, multipurpose halls, a 1,500-capacity event centre in Mangu and a 200-capacity anatomy laboratory at Plateau State University, Bokkos.
In the Northern Zone, the team inspected primary healthcare centres, rural electrification projects, ICT centres, markets, bridges, town halls and local government secretariat complexes.
Usman commended the local government chairmen for their efforts, maintaining that Governor Mutfwang had not interfered with the councils’ utilisation of their resources.
“His Excellency, Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has never in any way interfered with or directed the local government chairmen on what to do with their resources,” he stated.
He also disclosed that the councils were strengthening grassroots security through collaboration with conventional security agencies and the establishment of formally registered local security outfits.
Speaking on behalf of the ALGON Chairman, Hon. Hamisu Anani, the Executive Chairman of Kanke Local Government Council, Hon. Lapchin Golime, commended Usman for his leadership and support, which he said had enabled the council chairmen to deliver services to their people.
Golime expressed appreciation for the commissioner’s commitment to grassroots development and called for sustained collaboration among the ministry and local government councils.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau State Council, Comrade Ayiku Pwaspo, commended the commissioner for organising the briefing but appealed for more journalists to be included in subsequent inspection tours.
She said wider participation would enable journalists to visit project sites, independently verify completed and ongoing projects and report firsthand on their impact on communities.
