BY Lovins Yakubu
Lack of focus and setting out clear
priorities were said to be the reasons why the Plateau State Governor, Rt. Hon.
Simon Bako Lalong has engaged in reckless spending since assumption of office
two years ago. This was the submission of Chief Ambassador Nanyah Andrew Daman
JP, the Plateau State Chairman of the Action Democratic Party ADP in a radio
programme in Jos recently.
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| Governor Lalong |
Chief Daman questioned the rational
behind doling out the sum of Five Hundred Million Naira (N500,000,000) to buy
vehicles for National Assembly members from Plateau State recently in addition
to the sum of Four Hundred and Eighty
Million Naira (480,000,000) earlier spent to organized carnival in the state
which according to him, don’t have direct bearing on the lives of the masses
who voted both the governor and the NASS members into power.
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| Chief Nanyah |
He said that for any developing
Economy to make headway, small and medium scale businesses must be taken into
proper consideration and added that if the mentioned amount was channeled
towards the improvement of Micro businesses by way of grants or soft loans of a
million naira each, Plateau state would have made almost 100 millionaires not
to talk of the trickle down positive effects. He further described the NASS
members as greedy and shameless people who don’t have the interest of the state
and the electorates at heart, “the reason why they stoop so low and requested
for vehicles from the governor as confirmed by one of the governor’s aides in a
radio programme in Jos recently”. He said.
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| Hon. Golu |
However, speaking to African Drum on the issue, Hon. Timothy
Golu, member representing Pankshin, Kanke, Kanam in the National Assembly said
there was nothing wrong with the action of the governor and wondered why that
has become an issue when there are more
significant issues to think about. When asked to clarify on the rumours making
rounds that they begged the governor to buy them vehicles, he said that was not
important. “Whether the governor out of his own volition decided to buy us
vehicles or we made the request is immaterial at the moment. There are other
important issues but the media is not bringing them to focus but only
concentrating on the purchase of vehicles by the governor for the National
Assembly Members. All I know is that we have cars and the cars are helping us
and have also improved the prestige and dignity of the State”. He added that
for two years running, the National Assembly has not bought cars for members.
He recalled a situation where he was embarrassed by refusing him entrance to
the venue of an event outside Plateau State which commissioners were allowed
until one of the organizers came to identify him as Honourable member of the
National Assembly to the astonishment of those that prevented him from going in
simply because of the type of car he was driving.
The purchase of cars for NASS members
from Plateau state at the cost of N500,000,000.00 has generated a lot of furor
and condemnation from the people the State saying that such monies were not
appropriated for in the budget adding that such unilaterally act is an
impeachable offence.
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