Gov. Simon Lalong has lauded the military for rescuing, Mr Kelvin Eze, a student of the King’s College, Gana Ropp, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the student was kidnapped on April 29.
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The governor made the commendation at the inauguration of Chairmen and Board members of parastatal agencies, commissions, and governing council of tertiary institutions in Jos.
” I want to use this opportunity to specially commend officers and men of Operation Safe Haven and other agencies for the rescue of recently abducted students of CAPRO International Mission School in Barkin Ladi,” he said.
He commended security agencies, local vigilante, community, religious and traditional institutions for their various inputs in intelligence gathering, to ensure proactive measures in handling security issues in the state.
The governor appealed to chairmen and board members to continue to support the government in consolidating peace and security in the discharge of their duties.
“It is only peace that can guarantee stability and prosperity. We have to work hard to ensure that we do away with anything that is capable of causing a breach of the peace.
“As a government, we are taking steps to equip our security agencies to enable them to function effectively.
“Just last week, the State Executives approved the purchase of 50 patrol vehicles and 200 security motorcycles to boost the mobility of security personnel,” he said.
He congratulated the appointees and said they were selected based on their antecedents and track record of service and loyalty, urging them to bring their wealth of experience in serving the state in the various organizations.
He said their appointments as part of his administration’s commitment to delivering good governance and ensuring smooth operations of government machinery, through informed policy formulation.
He said the appointees should not use the opportunity to serve for self-aggrandizement or self-enrichment, or to also engage in abuse of power with the management teams of the agencies.
” You should be reminded that you are not the Chief Executive Officers of the organizations as your functions are clearly spelled out in the laws establishing those agencies,” he warned.
According to Lalong, their role was to give policy direction to the agencies, saying that they must be thorough and diligent in monitoring the activities of the agencies, to ensure diligent execution of policies.
He said this was to ensure that the state and its people were not shortchanged especially with the current COVID-19 economic down toll, warning that he would hold them responsible in cases of mismanagement of public resources.
” I will hold you responsible if, under your watch, public resources are mismanaged, stolen, or misapplied. The people should derive maximum benefit from every government business,” he said.
He urged the appointees to support his administration to fulfill its aspirations and campaign promises, saying, ” any acts of sabotage and disloyalty will not be tolerated and anyone found to be working against Government interest will be shown the way out,”.
He also implored the management of the agencies, to work in collaboration with the newly inaugurated Boards to ensure that they fulfill their assignments.
Responding on behalf of the appointees, the chairman of the Board of College of Health Technology Zawan, rtd. Capt. Joseph Din thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve, assuring him of their commitment to ensuring the progress of Plateau.
NAN reports that some of the boards inaugurated include the Plateau University Bokkos, Plateau Polytechnic Barkin Ladi, College of Health Technology Zawan, state pension Board, Christians, and Muslims board
Others are the Jos Water Services Corporation, State Emergency Management Agency, Hospital Management Board, and Road Maintenance Agency among others.