By Sadiq Umar Sabo


Since his victory at the poll in March 2015 and his subsequent swearing into office in May of the same year, Gov.Lalong of Plateau has shown little or no prowess and readiness to turn around the fortune of the state economically. The state has suffered an enduring neglect in the economic sector, no thanks to the protracted crises the state had had for more a decade.


That notwithstanding, his predecessor Da Jonah Jang did exceptionally well in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) with the establishment of some specialised agencies and institution ranging from agriculture, to industry and commerce, human capital development and the provision of enduring infrastructure (some of which the present administration is claiming ownership of).


The allocation from the federation account has since proven not enough to dramatically turn things around for most of the states across the federation. For example, we've all seen how more than 20 of the states in the country couldn't undertake their obligations of recurrent expenditure until they were bailed out by the FG in 2016. 


This and more has made it compulsorily mandatory for the state governments to think outside the box and come up with ways to augment their meager earnings by harnessing revenues internally for evenly distributed developments within the state without having to solely rely on the government from the centre.


This is where experts, technocrats, development partners, thinkers and radically innovative people are needed in the corridors of power so as to fine tune ways of harnessing resources for optimal use. Regular politicians are not insightful and creative. They're just bunch of opportunists who feed fat on tax payers money without bringing in n any value in return. Leadership is all about having a team that supplements the effort of the leader and help keep him on track in case of derailment or distraction from achieving stated goals.


There are various revenue generating opportunities on the plateau especially within the state capital, Jos. Businesses are springing up everyday, do we have a readily available data of these businesses? Do they pay taxes? Do they undertake their corporate social responsibility obligations? A trip to the Plateau State Inland Revenue Service, dubbed "The Revenue House" says otherwise. I was there a couple of weeks ago and what I saw was comatose and skeletal services. An edifice without much activities. The ministry of commerce is another disappointing place to look at. As brisk as commerce is, the ministry is more or less like a cemetery quiet and dreadful.


The Terminus market which Gov.Laong promised to rebuild is a den of criminals now. After voting more than a billion for demolition using dynamite and its scraps sold out, more than a year after, still nothing is heard of it. The popular "Sunday market" that stretches from Ahmadu Bello way to Beach road has been suspended since April 2020 for the fear of spreading the Corona virus, at least that's the reason the government gives but it seems like there's more than meets the eye; there's an agenda! Places like Lagos, Kano, Abia, Anambra are doing well because they're able to harness their businesses and their revenue internally. My teacher used to say that, "there is no place in the world that would develop within businesses".


The buck stops at Gov.Lalong's table and it behooes on him to get his acts together and form an economic team if one doesn't exist as a matter of urgency if at all he wants posterity to be fair to him. Because infrastructurally wise, he is below average, this is an open secret. The state has enjoyed relative peace, at least in the cities. The best legacy he could leave behind is an economically robust state. The state has the potential. What is missing is the vigor to pursue a viable economic policy.


Sadiq Umar Sabo writes from Jos, Nigeria and can be reached via email:

serdeeq89@gmail.com.