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| Dr Bawa |
PLATEAU GUBER RACE: BAWA DECLARES UNDER
PDP, SAYS HE HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD A NEW PLATEAU; REGRETS SUPPORTING
LALONG IN 2015.
By Lovins Yakubu
August 29, 2018
A
business mongul and philanthropist, Dr. Godfrey Bawa Shitgurum, MON has said
that he responded to the call to serve the people of plateau state because he
has assessed the challenges and believed he has the character, capacity,
credentials and competence to build a new Plateau to the admiration of all.
Bawa
said this today during his formal declaration to run for the 2019 gubernatorial
election at the state party secretariat along Yakubu Gowon way. He revealed
that he was among the people, who worked for the emergence of the Lalong led
government in 2015 in the hope that the administration will keep to its promise
of change, under the mantra of Rescue Operation, but regretted that decision.
“Being part of the people who worked for the
victory of this government with the hope that they will work for the people, I
have learnt the old lesson that the best way to get a thing done, is to do it
yourself. This is why I am here today to offer myself to get the job done.
“The
question is, why return to PDP? I am returning to PDP because in the past three
and half years, I have had the opportunity to review the two parties. I must
tell you without doubt, that PDP has the best manifesto and the structure
designed to serve the needs of the people. If PDP has made any mistake in the
past it is human. Most importantly, the party has realized it’s mistakes and
have corrected and reinvented itself. This is why I am proud and happy to be back”.
Bawa
said having regretted working for the emergence of this current government, it
became imperative to correct the mistake that he took part in creating
stressing that there are key issues he had identified that needs to be address
urgently saying it was why he was vying for the office of the Governor, under
the campaign slogan “BUILD PLATEAU”.
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| From Left : Hon Sango, Dr Bawa, his wife |
According to him, “I have been in business for
the past 40 years; I started from London where I did my higher education on
Plateau State Government Scholarship. On my return, I started a Maritime
service company, which today has grown into a multi0national conglomerate,
including the Jos inland Dry Port, located in Heipang on the Plateau.
“As
a business man, my core motivation is to earn the resources to serve humanity.
This is why I have sponsored several free charity and medical missions across
the State, offered over 150 scholarships, provided jobs and job references and
have currently built a 100 bed secondary hospital to be subsidized for my
people.
“But
these efforts are localize and limited, hence the people of Plateau have urged
me to run for the highest position in the State, as the Governor in order to do
greater good”.
The
aspirant said what he intended doing was to improve the quality of Lives of the
people so as to reduce poverty, unemployment, reduce illiteracy level,
inequality, increase the life expectancy, improve food security and improve
significantly on the income per house-hold.
Bawa
added that he intended to Make Plateau State viable and self Sustaining,
consequently, he said administration shall focus on developing industries,
providing enabling environment, including critical infrastructures, growing the
internally Generated Revenue of the State, Grow the State share in local and
foreign direct investments, prove the ease of doing business and ensure
security of lives and properties.
He said that administration, would work with
experts to develop a 20 year plan for the key sectors of the economy in the one
hundred days in office. “We shall produce the Plateau State infrastructure
Master Plan. The priority focus of our master Plan will be to link farming
communities, mining sites and other areas of critical resources. We will also
have the Agriculture Master Plan, Review the Greater Jos Master Plan and the
industrialization Master Plan”.
Bawa also made it categorically clear that he
would serve only four years in line with the zoning arrangement that is already
engraved in the minds of the people of the state.
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| Supporters at the event |
“As
a governor, I want to say before this noble house, that I shall do four years
only in line with the Party zoning Policy”. He said that during the period, he
would work with a first class team as well as bringing his wealth of experience
in the business sector to lay the foundation to build a prosperous and
inclusive Plateau, where none is left behind adding that Part of the key
outcome of his government within the period will be; a plateau Job center, Plateau
Security Fund to address homeland security, Fund community vigilante groups,
Plateau Security Surveillance Centre and Rebuilding, compensation of affected
communities, Mechanized farm settlements in every local government areas
including processing factories for value added chain, Inland dry port, The
Plateau Mineral Processing Free Trade Zone, Plateau film village, amongst
others.
The aspirant further stated that the emphasis of his administration
will be public private partnership.
Responding, the state chairman of the PDP
Hon Damishi Sango promised a level playing ground for all aspirants.
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