Opinion article by kwaltom Sadiq



As he mark today December 26th as his 47th birthday, Rt hon Saleh shehu Yipmong, a grass rooted politician who is the driver of Dengi constituency at the state assembly who is serving as deputy speaker have been leading his people by example as the state Wades through thick waves of insecurity, recession, poverty, unemployment and pandemic economy.


The greatest friend of truth is Time, her greatest enemy is Prejudice, and her constant companion is Humility; Charles Caleb Colton.


The qualities of uprightness, humility and incorruptibility have given the biggest push to Rt Hon Saleh Yipmong both as a surveyor and as two time Deputy Speaker of plateau state house of assembly.


As his leutenant and legislative aide, I attest to the fact that Yipmong phenomenon is not a product of marketing. In any case experts in the field teaches that marketing cannot sell a bad product no matter how much money, so long as what you are selling does not measure upto expectations or is fake, all efforts in that marketing will fail.


With humility, discipline and consistency, Rt hon Yipmong have convinced thousands of his constituent and his colleagues who retained him as second term member and deputy speaker respectively that he is sincere, credible, incorruptible and his quest for sustainable good governance.


Upon his return as member representing Dengi state constituency, Rt hon Yipmong have engage stakeholders at different levels on ways and manners in which he can consolidate on his gains during first administration so as to gain a positive result in his second spell. He engage the traditional council, the party, elders, market men, trade unions, youths and students body.


Immediately after Yipmong won his second bid reelection, without even waiting for swearing in, he set some constituency plans in motion which include


1.  Empowerment program aimed at liberating youths, women and other less privilege in the constituency With equipments such as grinding machine, vulcanizing machine, sewing machine, water pumping machine, clippers, and conditional cash transfer to market men and women.


2. The deputy speaker during his second tenure assess some major rural problems which include bad road network, accessibility to market and other social infrastructural problems which necessitated him to engage in feeder road grading. Yipmong graded over 70km road comprises of:-

(i) kyamsangi to Bagyar  road.

(ii) Tuttung - kafel road in kunkyam linking to Namaran ward.

(iii) shukura clinic - general hospital in Dengi.

(iv) Anguwan marafa primary school - new grave yard.

(v) Anguwan Tafida in Dengi.

(vi) Angwan bunwur to grave yard at Angwan bunwur area in Dengi ward.

(vii) police station - grave yard

(viii) area inspectorate office - Angwan marafa.


3. Simultaneously with road grading and rehabilitation, the deputy speaker embark on the constructions of four double cell culverts in Tuttung to kafel road and two other culverts in kyamsangi to baggyar road totalling six. It should also be known that Rt hon Yipmong construct several culvert across some wards during the 8th assembly.


4. Rt hon Yipmong sunk/drill 23 boreholes cut across the constituency so as to provide more portable water to people living in rural area.


5. Citing and equipping of Yipmong PHC with drugs, facilities where surgical operations is ongoing. 


6. The deputy speaker who always believed that government is continuity, embark on renovation of structures built by our leaders past. Some of the infrastructure include;

(i) renovation of primary school at zango

(ii) renovation of kagyal PHC

(iii) complete Roofing of kunkyam coppers/teachers lodge.


7. The deputy speaker also purchase three strong transformers and 100 poles aimed at electricity extension within Dengi town. This have a dual advantage of   increasing economic activities thereby reducing crime. Hopefully, the electricity extension will be completed in the next few days.


8. There was a medical outreach to over 152 persons in the constituency, some with various degrees of surgeries and free drugs was given. This have help rural dwellers who don't have access to medical facilities and also, those who are low income earners but requires medical assistance to get all the help they can get at no cost. The medical outreach was the first of its kind in the entire LGA.


9. Hon Yipmong after seeing the effect of covid 19 on economic condition of his people was the first politician in Kanam LGA to distribute parliative during first lockdown so as to  curshion the effect of the pandemic in the society, to the glory of God, the food items went around and the good people of Dengi were appreciative of him. During that period, the deputy speaker sensitive the people himself on the dangers of covid 19, distributed hand sanitizers, hand washing basins and other covid 19 prevention materials.


10. Yipmong empowered several youths, elders with motorcycle to ease their movement from one place to another. This was done out of his benevolence attitude towards attaining his campaign promise of welfarism.


11. As part of his respect for traditional stool, he built the palace of Yipmong village head. He is set to complete other notable project like gwamlar market stall, kwalmiya town hall, grade gwamlar road, equipt other hospitals in Kanam ward, gwamlar ward before embarking on a mass empowerment.


12. As his commitment to his political party the APC, he donated a brand new Sharon(Galaxy). This is aim at helping the party leaders to ease their stress when going for any official function with the constituency and the state at large.


Rt hon Saleh Yipmong who have been described over the years as youth friendly legislature runs an open door policy, always ready to listen to his constituents at any given time that is why he is always visible in the grassroot both in the time of grief and time for celebration.


It will also be worthy of note that legislatures are elected to make laws and perform any oversight function as assign to them. Yipmong as a Dengi lawmaker have sponsored several bills having direct bearing on the people; some were already passed into law by the state government,  his anti curruption bill and corporate social responsibility bill both in the pipe line as we hope they pass through all the rigurous process of legislative scrutiny.


A baptist Minister once said and I quote, "Humility is nothing but truth, and pride is nothing but lying". The proud man can learn humility, but he will surely be proud of it. 


Rt hon Yipmong  have been decribed over time as a peacemaker, gentle and also epitome of humility. He have been a leader who always put God first in all his dealings, regardless of people's opinion, he always believe that God is the ultimate driver of our lives. He says the destiny of a man cannot be control by another man except God, and so, he will always perform his duty to his people with the fear of God in his heart.


Our leader the deputy speaker is committed and determined to keep the good work and the best way of doing that is by centering his representation on the people thereby leading by example.



Sadiq A kwaltommai CNA, 

Legislative Aide (Information & Media),

To Deputy Speaker PLHA,

Rt Hon Saleh Yipmong. Surv.