REMARKS BY THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF PLATEAU STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY, RT. HON. (DR) SIMON BAKO LALONG, AT THE 2021 ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE DAY CHURCH SERVICE HELD AT THE COCIN HEADQUARTERS CHURCH, JOS 10TH JANUARY 2021.
PROTOCOLS.
- Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are here to honour the memory of our fallen heroes who at various times and in different circumstances paid the supreme prize to defend our nation and also promote global security through international peace support operations.
- As we mark the 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance Day here in Plateau State with this special Church service, I want to appreciate the President and leadership of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), and in particular the Senior Pastor of the Headquarters Church for giving us the opportunity to hold this service here.
- Of course this commemorative church service is not just to honour our gallant members of the armed forces who have died, but also appreciate and pray for those who are still in the battlefront confronting the merchants of evil who do not wish our nation well.
- For this reason, we should reflect on what life would have been without their patriotism, doggedness and courage even in the face of danger, where many lost their lives while others are still carrying the scars and emotional trauma from their experiences.
- As at today, the Armed Forces of Nigeria are still actively engaged in Internal Security Operations around the country, fighting insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities. Here in Plateau State, the Armed Forces have equally made significant sacrifices in ensuring that we address issues of insecurity.
- We remain grateful to officers and men of the 3rd Armoured Division, Operation Safe Haven, Nigerian Police, Department of State Services, Operation Rainbow, Security and Civil Defence Corps, as well as NDLEA, Immigration, Correctional Service, Customs and road safety for their commitment to protecting us.
We also appreciate members of the Nigerian Legion for their resilience in serving the nation even in retirement. We shall continue to support you.
- We equally acknowledge with gratitude the contributions of members of the vigilante, neighbourhood watch groups and community associations that have played various roles in ensuring that we tackle insecurity and crime.
- As a government, we have continued to pay attention to the security of lives and property by adopting various measures to foster peaceful coexistence and also deal with crime and criminality.
- I am a firm believer in Community Policing which I am convinced can enable us tackle the challenges of insecurity in Nigeria more effectively. We have to be proactive in preventing crimes through intelligence gathering and ensuring rapid response to any distress.
- This is why even before the Federal Government decided to implement the Community Policing Initiative, we engaged stakeholders in the State towards strengthening our Operation Rainbow to provide grassroots policing.
- In December last year, we inaugurated 595 Community Police constables who were trained and deployed to the 17 Local Government Areas to assist law enforcement agencies, particularly the police in intelligence gathering and other security operations.
- I am aware of the incidences of kidnapping, cultism and other violent crimes in some parts of Plateau State. The Government is working hard with the security agencies and stakeholders to ensure that the ugly incidences are tackled.
- Last month, I signed the Anti-kidnapping, Land grabbing, Cultism and Violence-related matters bill passed by the State House of Assembly into law. By that law, anyone convicted of kidnapping in Plateau State will be sentenced to death while cultism and other violent crimes attract various terms of imprisonment.
- Since security is everybody’s business, I appeal to all citizens to always be security conscious and participate in protecting themselves against criminals before security agencies respond to their distress calls. Let us not live care-free and expect the security personnel to do everything.
- The security agencies as we all know have challenges of manpower, logistics and equipment as well as training which most times delay their response and effectiveness. We need to join hands with them by doing our part and also passing accurate and timely information to them.
- The security agencies also need our support and prayers as many of them are doing their best to protect us. Rather than use the bad conduct of a few to condemn all of them, let us isolate the bad ones and ensure that they are removed. We cannot afford to demoralize our gallant men and women at this time of insecurity in our country. We saw what happened during the ENSARS protests when they came under attack physically and morally.
- On the issue of our brother Rev. Polycarp Zongo who has been in captivity for months now, I want us to keep hope alive and never give up. The State and Federal Government is working with the Church to ensure that he regains his freedom. We cannot disclose everything here, but I urge you not to cease praying for him and all others who are in captivity.
- Like the Bible assures us in the book of Matthew 19:26 “….with man some things may be impossible, but with God, all things are possible”. As children of light, we must remain firm in our faith and let the world know that darkness can never overcome or dim the light of Christ in us. By the grace of God, we shall have our brother back in one piece.
- Let me use this opportunity to also touch on the issue of the implementation of the new 30 thousand minimum wage which has become a matter of protests among Local Government employees. They have for over one month engaged in various actions including blocking of roads, and locking up the State Secretariat despite the fact that negotiations are going on.
- Because they have misinformed many and embarked on a campaign of calumny and blackmail against the Government and my person, I need to make some clarifications for everyone who cares to know that I will be the last person to truncate the implementation of the new minimum wage at the Local Government level when I had agreed to pay State employees.
- You are aware that following the prolonged clamour for financial autonomy of the Local Government system nationwide, the matter was finally resolved. As a result, I approved that Local Government autonomy in Plateau State should be implemented immediately.
- Consequently, all funds belonging to that tier of Government go straight to them. It is therefore the duty of the Local Governments to negotiate the new minimum wage with their employees based on their capacity to pay. This is the same thing that happened at the Federal and State levels.
- I was therefore shocked that despite my intervention to ensure that the matter was quickly resolved through a Technical Committee, the workers embarked on protests which caused hardship to other citizens. They have also called me unprintable names forgetting that I have a soft spot for workers.
- I am always conscious of the Biblical injunction that says a worker deserves his wages. The records are there for everyone to verify my commitment towards this. So it is incorrect to say that I am holding Local Government salaries. It is not true.
- My advice to them is to embrace dialogue and sit with their employers or at least allow the Technical Committee to come up with their findings rather than politicize the matter.
- Finally, I wish to again appeal to all citizens of Plateau State to take seriously the Corona virus pandemic. We are in a second wave and the rate of infection and mortality is high. We have lost many people within the last few weeks. We do not have any option than to observe the protocols. We cannot afford another lockdown now because of the economic consequences. However, what will make us not contemplate it is compliance.
- I thank the Church for praying for us and upholding our Armed Forces. Things may not be as good as we desire at the moment, but we have to remain hopeful and work for a better tomorrow. God bless Plateau State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Thank you.
Rt. Hon. (Dr) Simon Bako Lalong, KSGG
Executive Governor of Plateau State
10th January 2021.
