By Raymond Gukas, Jos
Mix reactions greeted the recent loan approved by the Senate with the six geopolitical zones and the states expressing their views on whether or not, the World Bank loan would be of benefit to their people.
The federal government had made a request for the loan to cater for infrastructure and other economic needs of the country.
However in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria, majority of comments from a new WhatsApp platform tagged “Plateau Our Heritage”, (POH), indicated that the state is still being marginalised even in the current loan based on projects to accrue to the state.
The early morning discussion on the platform which lasted till the better part of Saturday suggested that the national assembly from the state have really not lived to expectations following the absence of tangible projects with economic importance to the people.
Although the name of the former deputy Senate president, Ibrahim Mantu stood tall, his absence in the national assembly was being felt, when it comes to attracting federal presence to the state.
He was singled out for credible representation during his days, though, participants in the discussion preferred to identify with their various senators, even though they were quick to admit they needed to do more for the state.
According to unconfirmed reports, the Senate was alleged to have on Thursday gave a breakdown of how the $22.7 billion loan approved for the federal government will be used.
In the breakdown, no specific projects were allocated to Plateau State with the exception of projects that are generalised across the country, a development that point to poor bargaining power of the state federal lawmakers.
Barrister Danjuma Maina in his closing submission, reiterated that “much as nobody is yet to attain Senator Mantu’s achievements, I won’t subscribe to the fact that nobody can attain or even surpassed his feat in a dynamic society that is prosperously pregnant with innovative opportunities as we are now in a digital era.
“Saying nobody would break Mantu’s feat amounts to seeing in to the end of the destiny of the Plateau State individual destinies. It is not appropriate for only God sees and knows the future”
For Lydia (Kach) Dusu, a United Kingdom-based Plateau indigene, said “we need more seriousness and dedication of collaboration between the lawmakers and the government on one hand, the law makers and the electorate and more town halls of the government and the people” as is only with such collaboration that the state can make impact in the scheme of national affairs.
Alex Kwapnoe was of the opinion that the entire federal lawmakers must be encouraged, especially “the Majes, ID Gyangs, Koomsouls, Beni Lars, Gagdi, PaulineTallens, etc to dig deeper and take risks. No venture no success.”
“My understanding is that, even in the years to come nobody would match Mantu’s scorecard. That means we don’t have crop of leaders now that if given the opportunity may surpass his ‘track record,” Boniface Kassam enthused.
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