By Billa Pius, Jos
Governor Caleb Mutfwang has declared that his administration has restored hope to Plateau State through bold reforms and strategic interventions across security, infrastructure, agriculture, education, and healthcare, insisting that governance is “not wishful thinking, but for the benefit of the people.”
The governor made this known on Tuesday during an interactive session with journalists under the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau State Council, held at the New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos. He used the platform to provide a detailed account of achievements and ongoing initiatives across key sectors.
“If you ask me what our greatest achievement is, I would say we have brought hope back to Plateau State,” Mutfwang said. “People now believe that things can be better and that, to me, is very important.”
While acknowledging lingering insecurity, especially in Riyom and Wase local government areas, the governor said proactive measures have prevented Plateau from descending into the kind of violence seen in some North Central and Northwest states. “There is no local government in Plateau today that is a no-go area. We’ve substantially pushed back bandits in Wase and Kanam,” he said.
He restated his call for state police, stressing that the current structure undermines governors’ capacity to secure their states. “The idea that state police will be abused is lazy it only benefits those feeding off the system’s inefficiency,” he argued.
Mutfwang revealed that his administration inherited a backlog of four and a half months of unpaid salaries, which was cleared within weeks of taking office. He emphasized that paying salaries is not an achievement but a basic responsibility. “What we’ve done is to restore dignity to the civil service. Ministries now function; training has resumed. Plateau is working again,” he said.
The governor noted that infrastructure projects are being executed evenly across communities, without bias for religion or ethnicity, while prioritizing the completion of abandoned projects. “We don’t discriminate over who started what. If it benefits the people, we will finish it,” he stated.
Responding to the removal of fuel subsidy, Mutfwang said his administration decided to subsidize public transport as a more transparent and effective form of palliative, helping commuters save as much as ₦50,000 monthly. He added that the state has revived the rail line in partnership with the Nigerian Railway Corporation and is working with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to upgrade the Yakubu Gowon Airport into a regional cargo hub.
“We want to leverage this to move Plateau’s produce coffee, flowers, fodder to global markets,” he said.
On power reforms, Mutfwang said boards have been inaugurated for both the Plateau State Electricity Commission and Electricity Corporation, with over 45 rural solar projects ready for commissioning. Addressing the spike in rent and housing costs, he said discussions are ongoing with the Federal Housing Authority and Family Homes Fund to deliver affordable housing, including in Bassa LGA for civil servants.
“We won’t regulate rent; we’ll build more homes. Once supply increases, prices will drop,” he explained.
On agriculture, the governor unveiled plans to raise Plateau’s potato production to international standards within two years, noting that most current seeds are decades-old and yield far below global benchmarks. He said the government is correcting the mismanagement of a tissue culture project supported by the African Development Bank and is now partnering with a major Dutch seed company.
He also clarified that the suspension of mining activities was not meant to stifle livelihoods, but to reform a poorly regulated sector. “Criminals often displace communities to access mineral deposits. We won’t allow that anymore,” he said.
Mutfwang announced plans to establish modern ranches and revive the Jos Abattoir, which is expected to process up to 500 cows daily and stimulate job creation across the livestock value chain. “With scientific tagging and proper management, even journalists can become cattle owners,” he quipped.
In the health sector, he cited ongoing upgrades at Plateau Specialist Hospital, the establishment of new departments, and a significant rise in enrolment under the state health insurance scheme. In education, he said admissions at Plateau Polytechnic have risen from 3,000 to over 6,000, and the College of Education, Gindiri, has secured approval for 17 new degree programmes. He assured that continued reforms would lift Plateau’s WAEC ranking in the near future.
On sports, the governor said a CAF-standard upgrade is ongoing at Rwang Pam Stadium and efforts are underway to complete the long-abandoned Zaria Road Stadium through public-private partnership. He also confirmed that Plateau United would temporarily use the Zaria Road Stadium for NPFL matches pending the completion of works at Rwang Pam.
Mutfwang assured that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) will be directed to engage more proactively with the public and emphasized the importance of the media in nation-building. On the Bureau of Public Procurement, he said it remains active despite operating under the radar due to a focus on completing legacy projects. He stressed that all government contracts are transparent and traceable.
“There’s no contract we’ve awarded that you can’t trace. Transparency is key nothing is hidden,” he affirmed.
In his closing remarks, the governor thanked the media for their constructive criticism and patriotism. “The media is the Fourth Estate of the Realm. We will continue to improve your working environment so we can build Plateau together,” he said.
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