We will continue to keep the ‘alert’ flowing – Lalong  

Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong has promised Civil servants and retirees that his administration will continue to do its best to keep “The alerts flowing” despite sharp fall in funds accruing to the state from the Federal Account.

He also assured that his administration will not leave any arrears, by the time he leaves office in May 2023.

The Governor gave the assurance in his 2023 New Year speech and statewide broadcast to citizens.

The NIGERIA STANDARD reports that the governor had earned the nickname “Governor Alert” after sustaining salary payments and clearing inherited salaries and pension arrears from his predecessor in 2015 when he came into power.

He however faced a 5-day warning strike action in December 2022 by Labour unions for his inability to meet up-to-date wages payments.

Gov. Lalong told citizens: “My dear Compatriots, the past year has been a challenging one economically not only for us as a state but also as a nation and globally”.

“Consequently, we were constrained in many ways from carrying out our capital and recurrent projects as robust as we planned. This was made worse by the dwindling resources accruing to the state from the

Federation Account as a result of global economic issues”.

“Nevertheless, we did our best in giving priority to critical projects and programmes which we are determined to commission before we leave office”.

“To our most esteemed civil servants, I want to specially thank you for your support, patience and understanding in the preceding year which has been a difficult one in terms of state finances”.

“Like I mentioned earlier, the sharp fall in funds accruing to the state from the Federation Account has hit all states negatively. In our own case, we have used other sources including deepening our IGR to be able to sustain payment of salaries, pensions and allowances”.

“We remain up to date in payment of pensions to our retirees who served us with dignity, integrity and diligence”.

“Let me assure you that we will continue to do our best to keep the ALERTS flowing and also ensure that we do not leave any arrears by the time we leave office”.

“As you are aware, this administration in collaboration with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria has provided home renovation loan to over 2,500 civil servants in the approximate sum of three million naira each across Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ease housing challenges they face. This is in addition to the assistance by government to the Nigeria Labour Congress in the purchase of the land for the NLC Housing Project in Jebbu Miango, which I personally performed the groundbreaking”.

“Government has taken note of the shortfall in manpower and has therefore approved the recruitment of qualified staff for the various MDAs and tertiary institutions to ensure that we have continuity in the bureaucracy for better performance and efficient implementation of government projects and programmes in the service to the people”.

“To address the challenge of access to quality, affordable, and prompt healthcare by civil servants and our citizens in general, the Plateau State Health Insurance Management Agency, PLASCHEMA has continued to register healthcare services across registered health facilities in the state”.

He urged citizens to in the new year that ushers in “The heat of campaigns” for the 2023 general elections seize the opportunity to be eligible to participate and exercise their constitutional rights of freely deciding those to lead them.

While pointing out that his administration has provided a level playing field for all political parties and candidates to freely canvass for votes by holding rallies, meetings and other engagements without hindrance, the governor appealed to those who have registered but are yet to collect their PVCs to ensure they collect them immediately before the window closes.