![]() |
Asiwaju & Lalong. |
BIRTH: Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, the quiet, gentle and unassuming personality, was born in Ajikamai Village, Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday 5th May 1963.
EDUCATION: He attended Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) Primary School, Shendam (1977); Government Secondary School Shendam (1982); School of Preliminary Studies Keffi (1986); Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1990); The Nigerian Law School Lagos (1991) and University of Jos (2006). He obtained the qualifications of Elementary School Certificate, GCE O’Level, IJMB A’ Level, Bachelor of Law (LL.B), Barrister at Law (BL) and Master in Law (LL.M) respectively.
PROFESSIONAL
AND PUBLIC SERVICE EXPERIENCES:
Ø
National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) in
the Legal Unit of FCDA Abuja.
Ø
Worked with the prestigious T- Obot
& Co. Legal Practitioners, Jos 1992.
Ø
Victor Fomwul & Co. Jos from
1997-1999 as a Managing Partner.
Ø
Established his Firm, Simon B. Lalong
& Co. Legal Practitioners as the Principal Partner.
Ø
Assistant Secretary, Nigeria Bar
Association, Plateau State Chapter from 1992 to 1994.
Ø
National President of Goemai Youth
Movement.
POLITICAL
CAREER:
Ø
Participated in the formation of the People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State and at the grassroots in Shendam L.G.A.
in 1999
Ø
Contested and won election into the
Plateau State House of Assembly 1999 (Shendam State Constituency)
Ø
Re-elected into the Plateau State
House of Assembly 1999 in 2003
Ø
Elected Speaker of the Plateau State
House of Assembly 2000 (Served 2 terms 2000-2006)
Ø
Longest serving Speaker in Plateau
State (survived Recall, impeached
illegally and restored)
Ø
Served as Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary; Member, Committee on Local Government
& Chieftaincy Affairs, Public Accounts/Petition and Agriculture.
Ø
Chairman,
Nigerian Conference of Speakers
Ø
Chairman
of Former State Legislators, Plateau State Chapter.
Ø
National
Chairman, Forum of All Former Speakers of Nigeria (COFSSHA)
Ø
Elected
Executive Governor of Plateau State 2015 defeating party in power, PDP
Ø
Elected
Chairman, Northern States Governors Forum
Ø
Chairman
Governance Committee of the NGF
Ø
Chairman
APC Campaign Council for Ondo Gubernatorial Elections 2017
Ø
Member,
Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NPDHC) Board
Ø Appointed Director General, APC Presidential Campaign Council
HIGHLIGHTS
OF ACHIEVEMENTS AS GOVERNOR:
Since obtaining the people’s mandate as the 5th Executive Governor of Plateau State on 29th May 2015, His Excellency has maintained a solemn pledge to truthfully serve with Integrity, Accountability and Transparency as Hallmarks of good governance to ensure justice and equity. In fact, he has made giant strides in virtually all facets of Governance, Peace and Security. He has also engendered the Change Mantra to Rescue Plateau, anchored on the principle of Justice, Equity, Unity, Social Services delivery particularly infrastructure development, Education, and Agricultural production that are panacea for Sustainable Peace and Development.
In 2015, Governor Lalong’s Rescue Administration started under a 5-Pillar Policy Thrust, namely: Peace, Security and Good Governance; Human Capital Development and Social Welfare; Agriculture and Rural Development; Entrepreneurship and Industrialization; and Physical Infrastructure and Environment. Immediately the governor was sworn in for a second term, he wasted no time in continuing his Rescue Mission with a re-evaluation of the performances of the first four years and projecting ahead. He commissioned the famous Boston Consulting Group to develop a 5-Year Strategic Development Plan for Plateau State. This was done in line with the second term Next Level Vision which is anchored on a three-pillar policy thrust namely: Peace, Security, and good governance; Physical Infrastructural Development; and Sustainable Economic Re-birth.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Lalong administration inherited so many problems and amidst limited resources, high expectations and competing demands, the government settled down for business under the purposeful leadership of Governor Lalong. It is important to note that Governor Lalong chose a leadership style that differed contrastingly from that of his predecessors where despite taking over from a different political party (PDP), he chose to continue with inherited and abandoned projects rather than jettisoning them as has been the pattern previously. Many have been completed for the interest of the citizens of Plateau State.
Below are some of highlights of projects and achievements of his administration:
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND
SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT.
1. Construction of Mararaban Jama’a Secretariat
dual carriage road inherited from previous administration
2. Completion of Secretariat flyover bridge
inherited from previous administration at 30%
3. Installation of Street Lights across the
Jos-Bukuru Metropolis
4. Construction of Rantya-Rafiki-Dong-Wild life
park road
5. Reconstruction of several township roads
within Jos-Bukuru metropolis
6. Maintenance and rehabilitation of 29 urban
roads under Operation Zero Potholes
7. Construction of Longvel-Yelwa-Mato
Junction-Taraba border road
8. Constructed Kalong & Angwan Dadi, Shendam
road (with the longest bridge in Plateau)
9.
Completed Abandoned
Conference Hall, Fuel dump and other facilities at the New Government House,
Little Rayfield Jos.
10. Construction of Mangu –bye pass road
11. Construction of Shendam Township roads and
bridges
12. Construction of Ajikamai Township roads
13. Construction of the British-American Flyover and Dualisation to Lamingo Junction roundabout
WATER
AND SANITATION
1. Resuscitation and Rehabilitation of Shendam
Water Treatment Plant
2. Rehabilitation of Yelwa Water Works
3. Construction of a new Water Treatment Plant
and Distribution Network system in Riyom, Tahoss and Rahoss
4. Provided over 128 Hand Pump Boreholes as well
as rehabilitated 34 others and 14 Solar Panel Boreholes across various
communities in the State.
5.Construction of mini treatment plants and
supply of 5.5KVA generator and minimal reticulation with water kiosks in
Kalong, Shimankar, Demshin, Bakin Kogi, Fang, Sopp, Tom Gangare, Tse as well as
transmission of water pipeline from Yelwa to Ajikamai.
6. Signed into law and gazetted the Plateau State
Water Sector Law which gave rise to four agencies. These include Jos Water
Services Corporation; Plateau State Municipal Water Supply Agency; Plateau
State Water Regulatory Commission; and the Plateau Rural Water Supply Agency.
7. Passed and gazetted the Plateau State Energy
Corporation Law to establish an agency to harvest investment into the energy
sector of the State especially in the rural areas.
PEACE
& SECURITY
1. Restored substantial peace to Plateau State
and created confidence among citizens.
2. Established the Plateau Peace Building Agency,
the first of its kind in Nigeria to drive understanding, reconciliation,
forgiveness and synergy in dispute resolution.
3. Reinvigorated Operation Rainbow and
strengthened intelligence gathering using the community driven approach and
early warning systems
4. Built and commissioned Operation Rainbow
Surveillance Centre at Dutse Uku (Jos Jarawa) equipped with surveillance
equipment and a watchtower.
5. Set up mechanisms for Community Policing and
deployed volunteers
6. Purchased and distributed operational vehicles
to security agencies.
7. Harmonized operations of all community watch
groups, vigilante associations, hunters and similar bodies.
8. Established the Plateau Inter-religious
Council
9. Declared 7th February every year as
Day of Forgiveness and Reconciliation
GOOD GOVERNANCE
1. Established the Treasury Single Account (TSA)
2. Created the Efficiency Unit
3. Set up the Liquidity Committee
4. Established the Project Monitoring and Result
Delivery Unit (PMRDO)
5. Plateau State adjudged as the second least
corrupt State in Nigeria by the 2nd Corruption Survey Report released by the
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2019.
6. Restoration of 2 First Class; 6 Second class;
and 10 Third Class Chiefdoms and Districts that were scrapped by the previous
administration
7. Set us mechanism for the implementation of
Autonomy for the Legislature and Judiciary, the Executive arms of Government
8. First Governor to implement full Autonomy for
Legislature and Judiciary having implemented same for Local Government.
INNOVATION,
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND JOB CREATION
1. Set up the Plateau Small and Medium
Enterprises Development Agency (PLASMEDA)
2. Trained over 50,000 youths in various skills
and empowered them to start various businesses
3. Produced the overall winner of maiden MSME
National Award Jerry Mallo 2017.
4. Produced another winner Luka Pam Bot in the
2018 MSMEs National Award
5. Produced another winner in 2019, Mafeng
Woodcraft
6. Established the One Stop Investment Centre to
facilitate the establishment of businesses
LALONG
LEGACY PROJECTS
1. Construction of world class schools and
hospitals in the three senatorial districts, cutting across Education and
Health sectors.
2. These comprise of 8 primary schools, 6
secondary schools, and 6 hospitals
3. Construction of Plateau State, Jos
ultra-modern High Court Complex Government
HEALTHCARE
DEVELOPMENT
1.
Construction of
new Mega Hospitals in Barkin Ladi, Mangu and Shendam LGA under the Lalong
Legacy Projects (ongoing)
2.
Completed
abandoned hospital and Trauma Centre, Riyom LGA
3.
Completed
abandoned hospital Kanke LGA
4.
Completed
abandoned hospital Mabudi, Lantang South LGA
5.
Complete
Renovation and Equipping of the Jos Specialist Hospital
6.
Accreditation of
some courses offered by the Colleges of Health Pankshin and Zawan
7. Installation and Equipping of Ultra-modern
E-Library facilities at the College of Health, Zawan.
WORKERS’
WELFARE, SALARIES, PENSIONS AND GRATUITIES
1. Paid inherited salary arrears of 8 months from the past administration
2. Paid 5 months withheld wages under
no-work-no-pay policy by the past administration
3. Consistent in payment of salaries before the
25th of every month since assuming office which earned him the name
“Governor Alert” by the State workers.
4. Received award of excellence for welfare of
workers by the Joint Unions of State Owned Tertiary Institutions in Plateau
State (JUPTI).
5. Up to date in payment of pension and currently
working on an arrangement with financial institutions to offset all backlog of
entitlements and death benefits of retirees.
AGRICULTURE
1. Reactivated the moribund Bokkos Fertilizer
Plant which is now producing quality fertilizers
2. Partnered with AfDB-funded Agricultural
Transformation Agenda Support Programme.
3. Constructed infrastructure such as market
stalls and technology centres under the
Potato Value Chain Support Project (PVCSP)
4. Reactivated the Bokkos Fertilizer Blending
Plant to provide high quality fertilizers.
5. Procured 400 units of tractors for the
Community-Based Farmer Tractorization Programme
6.
Earmarked Wase
and Kanam Grazing Reserves for ranching and keyed into the National Livestock
Transformation Programme (NLTP) of the Federal Government.
7.
Constructed
Potato Tissue Culture Laboratory in Mangu LGA
8.
Reacquired the
BARC Farms Zallaki, Bassa LGA
9. Procured 1,500 irrigation Water Pumps
distributed to farmers in the 17 Local Government Areas
10. Profiled and empowered 150 farmers for wheat
and barley production in Plateau State.
11. Revamped the Agricultural Services And
Training Centre Ltd. (ASTC).
EDUCATION
1.
Payment of
Backlog of Scholarships to Students of Law School and other Tertiary
Institution
2.
Restored Academic
activities at the Plateau State University, Bokkos and accreditation of 17
courses.
![]() |
Gov. Lalong. |
1.
Organised 1st
2nd 3rd and 4th convocation and ensured
creation of 3 new Faculties (Health Sciences, Law and Environmental Science)
2.
Released the sum
of N500 million for infrastructural development at the Plateau State
University.
3.
Infrastructural
Development at the Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi and accreditation of
courses.
4.
About 4,800
primary school teachers were recruited and trained across the state.
5.
Sponsored and
paid scholarships of 28 indigenous students at the Egyptian Maritime Academy,
Alexandria
6.
Recall of over
2,000 sacked teachers by immediate past administration.
7.
Lobbied for
several Tetfund projects at the Plateau State University Bokkos (PLASU),
Plateau Polytechnic, College of Education Gindiri among others.
8.
Established
faculties of Health Sciences, Environmental Science, Law and Agriculture at the
Plateau State University (PLASU).
9.
constructed 639
Primary and Junior Secondary school classrooms across the 17 Local Governments
10. Renovated 724 classrooms across the State and
fenced many others
11. Renovated many Examination Halls and built more
than 200 toilets in various schools
12. Procured and distributed 55,985 Tables and
Chairs for Primary and Junior Secondary schools
13. Achieved 100% accreditation of courses at the
College of Education Gindiri and organised Combined Convocation for six sets of
students for the first time in 15 years
14. Restored Diploma programmes at the College of
Arts, Science, and Technology Kurgwi,
15. In the process of establishing Government Technical
Colleges in Shendam and Pankshin in addition to renovation of existing
Government Technical College Bukuru.
TRANSPORT
1.
Completed
negotiations for the supply of 100 Buses on special purpose vehicle for the
Plateau Express Services Limited
2.
Facilitated 50%
percent grant for the Plateau State Council of the National Union of Road
Transport Workers (NURTW) for the procurement of 80 Units of Ford Galaxy Buses
3.
Purchased the Bus
Terminal at Tafawa Belewa Street Jos from Nasarawa State Government
4.
On-going process
for establishment of Plateau State Road Traffic Administration and Vehicle
Inspection Authority
PROVIDING PURPOSEFUL LEADERSHIP TO THE
NORTHERN STATE’S GOVERNORS FORUM
The
election of Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State by his colleagues to
Chair the Nigerian Northern States Governors Forum did not come to many as a
surprise. This is because he has demonstrated leadership that is forward
looking and seeks to unite people and resolve conflicts while pursuing
development.
His
strides in Plateau state that saw the restoration of peace and accelerated
development provided a very good example for the entire Northern States to put
their trust in him to lead them.
As
Chairman Northern State’s Governors Forum, he has:
1.
Pushed for
adoption of Community Policing by the Northern States
2.
Spearheaded the
adoption and implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Programme
by the Federal Government and Northern States.
3.
Coordinated the
Response of the Northern States in the fight against COVID-19
4.
Lobbied for the
payment of entitlements of employees of New Nigerian Newspapers
5.
Mediated in many
disputes between various interests and groups in the North
6.
Facilitated
timely intervention and reconciliation among parties on national issues towards
restoring confidence and understanding.
7.
Spearheaded the
final return of Almajiri children to their States of origin.
8.
Liaised
seamlessly with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other
institutions of the Federal Government in pushing the interests of the Northern
Region.
9.
Spearheaded the
development of new blueprint for economic revival of the Northern Region.
10. Interfaced with relevant individuals, groups
and institutions towards restoring the legacies of the Founding fathers of the
North particularly the legacies of Sir Ahmadu Bello.
11. Facilitated the take-off of the Hydro-power
Areas Development Commission (HYPADEC)
12. Canvassed for power shift to the South within his party, the APC
AWARDS,
MEDALS AND TROPHIES.
1.
Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Club (July 21st 2006).
2.
International Peace Awardee Center For
African Peace
and Conflict Resolution (CAPCR),
California
State University, Sacramento, USA
(April 28th
2018).
3.
THE NATION’s Maiden Special Summit and
Award in
recognition of giant strides in the area
of “Food and
Agricultural Development in Plateau
State and
Nigeria” (April 26th 2018).
4.
THE BLUEPRINT’s Maiden Annual Impact Series Award
in
recognition of giant strides in the area of “Tolerance,
Unity and
Security as legacy for National Development”
(July 16th
2018).
5.
Best Governor of the Year (Peace & Security) 2019 by The
INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER Ltd. Publishers of Daily Independent, Saturday and Sunday
Independent.
6.
Honourary Fellow of the Nigeria Academy of Education (2018).
7.
Honourary Fellow of the College of Animal Health and
Production Technology (FCAHT), Vom, amongst others.
8.
Papal Knight Awardee of KNIGHT OF SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT (KSGG) January
25th 2020.
9.
Honourary Fellow of the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (Ffs, Hon)
November 14th 2020.
10. Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Award for Peace and Infrastructural Development, 5th March 2021
HONOURARY
DEGREES.
1.
Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) in Law
Achievers
University (AU), Owo, Ondo State.
2.
Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) in Political
Science
and Social Development, Institute Superieur
de Management
(ISM) Adonai University, (Affiliate of
The American
University of Leadership, Florida, USA),
Cotonou, Republic of Benin.
TRADITIONAL TITLES RECEIVED
Rt. Hon. (Dr) Simon Bako Lalong has
received several traditional titles within and outside Plateau State. They
include:
Ø Gwat Goemai (Defender of Goemai Land)
Ø Ganuwan Keffi (By Keffi Emirate)
Ø Kurgwi of Ajikamai
Ø Ikpaat of Ibaas Chiefdom (Shield of Ibaas
Nation)
Ø Ngu Epe Yil Jipal (The man who opens Jipal
Land for good things)
Ø Jarumin Gboggom (Gboggom Chief Chiefdom)
Ø Miskaham Wangyil Chakfemland (Emancipator of Chakfemland)
HOBBIES: His Excellency, Governor Lalong is a passionate Golfer (Two-time Captain of Rayfield Golf Club); Footballer and Active Rotarian. He is married to Her Excellency Mrs. Regina Lalong and blessed with three Children.
0 Comments
DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed on this platform as comments were freely made by each person under his or her own volition or responsibility and were neither suggested nor dictated by the owners of Precious Eze's Blog or any of their contracted staff. So we take no liability whatsoever for such comments.
Please take note!