Plateau governor, Mr Simon Lalong, says his state is already diversifying its economy in order to reduce dependence on allocation from Federation Account.
He made this known in Abuja on Friday at the All Progressives Congress Media Roundtable.
The governor said that development of the state was on course but said that it was gradual.
He appealed to Nigerians to be patient and give President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration at least a year for the change being yearned for to be felt.
“We know people are expecting change but they should also understand the economic situation; we need to be patient with the reform that is going on so that the expected change will come. Let us give ourselves at least one year and see what the president and states are doing. Some of us are already diversifying.
We are moving into agriculture and other ways of diversification.
For me, if you give me between six months and one year and with adequate funding, like getting our full bailout, let me go into Internally Generated Revenue.
By God’s grace, when you come, you will see a different Plateau,’’ he said.
On the president’s trips, Lalong said that they would be beneficial to the nation at the long run.
“I don’t see anything wrong with it. Presently, I am granting an interview in Abuja and not in Jos; if I didn’t travel to Abuja from Jos, who will fight for my bailout?
For example, foreigners have stopped coming to Jos due to insecurity. If you want private investors, you have to travel all the way to Abuja because that’s where the foreigners are.
“That is also exactly what Mr President is doing. He is trying to attract private investors into the country to do business. He has been invited to several workshops and seminars.’’
Concerning the allegation that lawyers were part of the reason why the corruption fight was slow, the governor who is a lawyer said “If there are allegations against a profession like that, it is good to be specific.
“Each profession has a way of disciplining its members. This means that there are members who are recalcitrant.
So, it is better to name those lawyers, arrest, investigate and prosecute them.
I also have been detained by the EFCC in 2005/2006 for more than 40 days before I was later prosecuted, discharged and acquitted by the Supreme Court.
“All of that was because I wanted to follow due process with regards to illegal impeachment.’’
On the need to assign more women into positions of authority, he said that they had important portfolios in his government because he believed in their capabilities.
“We have three female commissioners; the Commissioner for Finance is a woman and that of Agriculture whose ministry is the thrust of our diversification programmes.
“We also have seven permanent secretaries who are doing excellently well; so we are taking good care of women affairs in the state,’’ he said.
(NAN)
