by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
In a broadcast to the people of Plateau State, Thursday, the State Governor, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, asserted that, “Plateau State was once regarded as one of the cleanest states in Nigeria; but sadly, we lost that reputation before we assumed office.
“But, we have turned the tide. We declared a state-of-emergency on the environment, revived the monthly sanitation exercise, personally supervised by me, and increased the stipends of street sweepers,” he said.
While making the broadcast on Thursday, Gov Mutfwang said that, “Today, our streets are cleaner and our cities safer. We have taken steps to reverse our poor ranking in the open defecation index.
“The Jos Wildlife Park is undergoing massive transformation. We are reviving Plateau and Hill Station Hotels. We have supported cultural festivals. We are restoring Plateau’s reputation as a ‘land of peace, culture, and tourism.’ I am glad to inform you that Jos has one of the highest room occupation rates in the country.
“It is worthy to note that, we have laid down sound legal framework that led to significant improvements on justice delivery, which faced immense obstacles before coming on board.
“We committed ourselves to pursuing reforms guided by a clear vision, that justice must be accessible, efficient, effective and ethical. We have signed several critical laws to promote mediation, protect the vulnerable and expand access to legal representation.
“All these modest achievements have been possible because of prudent financial management. While it is true that, in terms volume, more money has come from FAAC, its real value in dollars is less when converted to dollars received by the last administration within the comparative period,” the governor revealed.
Governor Mutfwang further explained that, their appointments and projects reflect their core belief in inclusion, irrespective of religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation, adding that their administration is a true reflection of Plateau’s diversity.
“Let me emphasize that, due to the non-interference with their funds by my administration, Local Government Councils across the state are actively implementing various grassroots development projects. These include initiatives in primary healthcare, basic education, water supply, rural road grading, and market development, among others.
“As we reflect on our achievements, we are mindful of the work that lies ahead. In our third year, we will prioritize rebuilding of the burnt Jos Main Market and construction of the state-of-the-art market at Maraban Jama’a, in fulfillment of our urban renewal drive. We have already awarded contracts for the construction of three Agro-Logistics centres in Shendam, Mangu and Jengre.
“It is also pertinent to mention that we have reached advanced stages for the commencement of a new modern abattoir. Plans are also in top gear to open up new markets for different types on animals,” he explained.
“To every community that has suffered loss, I assure you that we have not forgotten you. We are working in collaboration with the Federal Government and development partners to resettle displaced persons and rebuild broken communities. We continue to engage with the Federal Government and donor agencies to bring relief, justice, and long-term peace,” Mutfwang stated.
In addition, the governor noted that, “These achievements are only the beginning. We are building a solid foundation for the Plateau of our dreams – a just, united, and prosperous State where every citizen has a sense of belonging and opportunity.”
“While saluting the sacrifices of traditional rulers, our religious leaders, civil servants, security agencies, women, youths, and community leaders, who have stood with us on this journey, our gratitude also goes to the young creatives promoting Plateau State through various fields of endeavours.”
He also thanked the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and members of the State Executive Council, for their unwavering support and dedication to service.
“We may not have reached the mountain top yet, but we are no longer in the valley. The path ahead is still long, but together, we shall continue to walk it with hope in our hearts and faith in our future.
“The Road Maintenance Agency has rehabilitated about 111 kms of urban roads as part of their Urban Infrastructural Renewal Programme, while over 3,000 kms of roads that were initiated by the Jang administration but abandoned, subsequently, are presently being constructed by the Ministry of Works.
“Also, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is supervising the construction of 66.4 kms of urban roads with some completed, while others are at advanced stages of completion.
“Under the Rural Access & Agricultural Marketing Project, over 380 kms of rural roads are under construction across the state. Similarly, 26.7 kms of roads are nearing completion on the NG-Cares platform,” Mutfwang said.
Speaking on Education, the governor said “Education is a cornerstone of our human capital development agenda. We slashed tuition fees by 50% for Plateau indigenes in state-owned tertiary institutions, which was actualized through the Scholarship Board. We increased scholarship funding by 300%. Plateau State University is gaining national recognition.
“The College of Education, Gindiri, now awards degrees, and student admission at the Plateau Polytechnic has surged, from 3,000 to 8,000, and the completion of the administrative block. We have constructed and renovated 148 classrooms blocks and provided boreholes across the 17 Local Government Areas, to create conducive environments for teaching and learning,” he said.
Barr. Mutfwang further explained that, “The health sector has witnessed a remarkable facelift. The Plateau Specialist Hospital has become a symbol of medical excellence.
“We recruited more consultants, completed the abandoned laboratory complex, and installed equipment valued at about N2 billion. The Plateau State Drugs and Medical Commodities Agency is now fully operational, ensuring the procurement and distribution of quality and affordable medical supplies.
“In addition, Primary Health Centres across the state are undergoing renovation and re-equipping. We procured Ultrasound and X-ray Machines for some General Hospitals and equipped them with essential drugs and medical consumables.
“The ‘Mutfwang Health Care Initiative’ has covered over 9,000 vulnerable citizens, while enrollment in health insurance coverage has moved, from 93,605 in May 2023 to 208,550 as at March 2025.
“On water supply, we have continued to breathe life into long-neglected projects. We awarded a N30 billion contract for the Langtang North Water Project, and we have revamped the Langtang North water scheme.
“Construction of isolated water schemes in Jos South, Bokkos, Mangu, Langtang, and Wase LGAs and provision of Solar-powered boreholes across the 17 LGAs are on top gear. Our goal is clear: clean, safe drinking water for every household on the Plateau.
“While on the economic front, we have made significant gains – with the introduction of our Tin City Metro Transport Service that is transforming urban mobility in Jos and Bukuru Metropolis. The initiative is creating jobs, subsidizing the burden of transportation for about 9,000 passengers daily, which translates into a subsidy of about N39,000 per person monthly.
“Just a few days ago, we added 15 more brand new additional buses to the fleet, bringing the total to 30. To facilitate interstate travel, we have also procured many Toyota Sienna vehicles and refurbished several others to ply the Jos–Abuja corridor and other routes.
“Our transportation agenda is not confined to roads alone. We signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ValueJet Airlines to provide thrice-weekly Jos–Abuja flights and Lagos-Jos flights.
“Furthermore, we partnered with the Nigerian Railway Corporation to revive rail transport, providing a cushion against the effects of fuel subsidy removal. In the coming days, this service will be commissioned, opening a new chapter in Plateau’s economic transformation.
“Agriculture has received a major boost – with the recovery of over 900 hectares of land belonging to IDPs. The distribution of fertilizer and other farming inputs, worth ₦16 billion, and the training of hundreds of young farmers in modern agricultural businesses have been accomplished.
“Recently, we also signed an MoU with the Famous Research Institute, IITA, Ibadan, to train our youths in Agri-Business as well as acquire skills across the agriculture value chain, among others,” Gov Mutfwang stated.