Plateau Plans Naming Ceremony For Lion Named After Gov. Lalong

Posted on July 9, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Ministry of Tourism in Plateau on Saturday said it was planning an elaborate naming ceremony for its new “Lion King Lalong” brought in from the Sanda Kyarimi Zoo in Maiduguri.

The Commissioner for Tourism, Mr Peter Mwankon, told newsmen in Jos that the prime beast was named after Gov. Simon Lalong in appreciation of his commitment to the tourism sub-sector of the state’s economy. He said that the one-and-half-year-old cub replaced the older lion killed last year following its escape from cage during routine feeding in the Jos Wildlife Park.

Mwankon added that authorities regretted the killing of the lion which was due to some limiting circumstances. He explained that the involvement of marksmen from the military and the police in tracking and killing the lion was to save the immediate community from danger as it could have turned untamed. The commissioner said it was unfortunate that some animal rights campaigners claimed that the act constituted cruelty to animals.

He noted that the new replacement was through a trade by barter with the Sanda Kyarimi Zoological Park in Maiduguri, Borno, to add to the tourism potential of the Jos Wildlife Park. He described the lion as a prime attraction to the park, expected to boost the state’s Internally Generated Revenue and developmental projects.

He gave an assurance that the management of the park had put modalities in place to forestall animals escaping from their cages within the park. “The administration of Gov. Simon Lalong is poised to ensure the escape saga of last year does not occur again and more varieties of animals are acquired.

“The state government is also working toward getting tranquilizers in quelling animals when an escape incident occurs rather than kill them.

“Such drugs require some bureaucratic process to get because of its function.” Besides, he said, more personnel were being trained on captivity skills, animals’ husbandry and other related skills to build their capacity in discharging their duties.

Credit: Vanguard

Gov. Lalong Tells Judges To Shun Corruption, Dispense Justice Without Fear Or Favour

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau on Tuesday urged judges to shun corrupt tendencies and insist on dispensing justice without fear or favour,
He spoke in Jos at the swearing in of three newly appointed judges into the Plateau judiciary.
“Your role is very crucial to protecting the dignity of the human person; a society without justice cannot stand, so you must strive to ensure that Nigerians get justice at all times,” Lalong said.
He expressed his administration’s commitment toward a strong, vibrant and independent judiciary, and challenged judges as the pillars of that system to live up to expectation.
The governor also reminded them of the crucial role the judiciary was expected to play to ensure good governance, pointing out that it must ensure that other arms deliver on their mandate.
Lalong told the new judges that they had been chosen from a rich reservoir of competent judicial officers the state was endowed with, noting that their appointment was to fulfill conditions set by the National Judicial Council.
“It is a statement of our confidence in your capacity to strengthen the judiciary for efficient and effective service delivery,” he declared.
The judges were Silas Bakfur, Nanpon Dadi and Mrs Nafisatu Lawal.
Justice Bakfur who responded on behalf of others thanked the governor for finding them worthy of the appointment.
He promised that the new officers would adhere strictly to their oaths of office by dispensing justice without fear or favour.

(NAN)

I Won’t Rest Until Appeal Court Sacks Jang From Senate- Gov. Lalong

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Plateau State governor, Hon. Simon Lalong, on Wednesday said that the All Progressive Congress (APC) would soon regain its mandate stolen in the March 28 Plateau North Senatorial elections.

It would be recalled that the immediate, past governor of the state, Jonah Jang, was declared winner of the elections.

Lalong stated this, on Wednesday, while addressing a crowd at Government House, Little Rayfield, following his victory at the tribunal.

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Jos, the state capital, on Monday, affirmed the April 11, 2015 election of Lalong.

The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Johnson Candide, dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party

Candidate (PDP) candidate in the election, Gyang Pwajok, for what he called lack of credible evidence to prove his petition.

According to Lalong “the APC in Plateau would not sleep till the Court of Appeal also recover our senatorial mandate from Jang. We are in court because we are confident that we won the elections and we would ensure that our mandate is given to us.

Lalong also offered an olive branch to members of the opposition, stressing that his administration would carry along the 53 tribes along.

“I am not surprised at my victory at the tribunal, because we won the elections…”

Credit: DailyTimes

Plateau Election Tribunal Upholds Gov. Lalong’s Election

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Plateau State governorship election petitions tribunal has affirmed the victory of Governor Simon Lalong in the April 11 governorship poll.

Gyang Pwajok of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his party had dragged Lalong of the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the tribunal.

The PDP claimed that there were cases of irregularities during the polls, asking the panel to nullify the election and declare Pwajok as winner.

The tribunal, which ruled on the petition in Jos, the Plateau State capital, dismissed the petitioners’ petition for lack of merit.

Credit: ChannelsTV

Why Gov. Lalong Has Not Received Any Salary Since May 29

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Staff Reporter

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Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State says he has not received a salary as the governor since he assumed office on May 29.

Speaking with journalists on Sunday, the governor explained that he decided not take any salary because his focus was to first settle the backlog of salaries owed civil servants incurred before he assumed the leadership of the state.

“We want to take care of the salaries of civil servants first before we look at ourselves,” he said. “We are yet to constitute the cabinet because we inherited a very huge debt. As soon as the debts are reduced we will constitute the cabinet.”

Credit: dailytimes

Suspended Comptroller-General, Gov. Lalong At Aso Rock To Beg Buhari

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Plateau State governor Simon Lalong yesterday took his kinsman and suspended comptroller-general of the Nigerian Immigration Service, David Parradang, to Aso Villa to plead with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Parradang was last Friday suspended from office indefinitely over allegations of illegal recruitment exercise and the porous state of the Immigration Service.

Governor Lalong, who came to the presidential villa alongside Parradang, proceeded straight to the president’s office while the suspended NIS stayed behind. Parradang who waited at a reception room directly opposite the Council Chambers, tried as much as possible to keep his presence unnoticed.

As soon Governor Lalong stepped out of President Buhari’s office, Parradang came out the waiting room and joined him, but retreated immediately he noticed that the governor was ready to grant audience to journalists.

Lalong, however, admitted that he discussed Parradang’s suspension with the president.

He said, “I came to see the president on some issues affecting my state. I feel comfortable with the response I got and that is why I am smiling.

“I told him (Buhari) what we are doing on insecurity in our state. Also, we discussed the prevailing issue of the suspension of the comptroller-general of Immigration who incidentally is from my state. When you have issues like this in a political period, you must find ways of looking for reasons. If anything affects any part of your body, you must show concern.”

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Plateau State Gov. Lalong Clears Salaries, Pension Arrears

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The director general, Research, Strategic Planing and Documentation, to Plateau State government, Prof. John Wade has disclosed that in less that 60 days in office the administration of Mr. Simon Lalong, has hit the ground running by paying arrears of civil servants salaries and pension left by the immediate past administration of Jonah Jang .

Prof. Wade who disclosed this in Jos yesterday said the state government has also held a stakeholder’s meeting between the Fulani herdsmen and their Berom counterpart with a view to bring to an end the incessant attacks and killings among the two groups in the state.

“Apart from paying salaries arrears, and redefining governance in the state, Governor Lalong has also mobilised contractors handling different road projects in the metropolis to site so as to commence work, and to reduce the suffering of motorists.”

He pointed out that immediately after the inauguration of the present administration, the first 30 days was used to take stock as there was little or no information on governance, consequently the governor directed that a transition committee should be reconstituted into different sub-committees with a view to redefine the focus of government in the state.