By Nanyah Daman 


About forty Media Executives, Influencers,Publishers and Technical Staff of the Ministries of Housing, Health, Information and Works led by the Honourable Commissioners of Information,Mr Dan Manjang, Housing, Barr Zulfa Bitrus Rimven, Health, Dr Nimkong Ndam Lar,the Director General of Research and Documentation, Prof John Wade,Director of Press Affairs to the Executive Governor, Dr Makut Simon Macham,the Director of Information, Mrs Theodora Damulak were in Plateau South Senatorial District on Thursday 11th February,2021 to inspect,view and ascertain the levels of work in the Lalong Legacy Projects and other inherited projects to clarify the unsubstantiated claims that the Rescue Administration had done little or nothing since assumption of office. 



 The media familiarization tour to the projects initiated and those inherited and completed by the Lalong led administration since assumption of office in 2015 began in Qua'an Pan Local Government Area with a stop over at the Dokan Kasuwa bridge where erosion control work is ongoing, the team thereafter inspected  the Lalong Legacy Project site, which is the remodeling of College of Arts, Science and Technology, (CAST) Kurgwi and the Model Secondary School Kurgwi all in the  same vicinity. 


 While receiving the team in CAST, the Provost,Mr Birmiap Patrick Yilpoe, welcomed the delegation and thanked Governor Simon Bako Lalong KSGG for remodeling the school to international standard,which will improve all sorts of activities in the school because of its conducive nature.


The team later move round the construction site to ascertain the level of work done so far.It was discovered that some edifices are completed and ready for use while others are near completion level.


The team later moved to Angwan Dadi, also in Qua'an Pan LGA where an 84km road construction lingking Damshin, Angwan Dadi, Nyak and Angwan Rinna, Shargang road were ongoing and the rehabilitation of Longvel, Yelwa-Shendam to Plateau State border is ongoing. The road contract was awarded by the Lalong administration.


The inspection also took the team to Shendam Local Government Area, the home Local Government of the Governor.

The assessment in Shendam started at the Shendam-Kalong bridge constructed by His Excellency,6arely six months when he assumed office in 2015.The contract sum was increased from N2.7bn to N9.7bn due to additional works as explained by Engr.David Longrin of the Eighteenth Engineering Construction Limited(EEC).

The Kalong to Shendam border road was constructed at N1.3bn by the same EEC Ltd. 


The next point of call was the Yelwa Water Project at Pandang where Engr Dakas Jelkyes,the Director of Water Resources of the Plateau State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development said the Water Works was intended to serve Yelwa Town as well as Ajikamai but certain technical hitches were noticed, forcing the construction of pipes from Yelwa to Ajikamai. He also pointed out that there are six existing boreholes and six are being drilled to ease Water shortage for the communities pending the laying of the pipes. 


From there the team moved to Ajikamai, the immediate community of the Governor where the team inspected the massive rural road networks spread across the community, the team also assessed the level of work ongoing on the Yelwa, Ajikamai linking Gangnim Farming settlement in Langtang South LGA.


After visiting the road network, the team went to GSS Ajikamai Model Secondary School,where one of the Lalong Lagacy Project is cited.The Ministry of Housing official supervising the  work assured that the work is going according to the specification with most of the structures almost completed.


The team also had a stopover at LEA Primary School Yelwa, renamed Model Primary School Yelwa.The project is about 80% completion.

The Media team was at GSS Shendam where Governor Simon Bako Lalong KSGG completed his Secondary Education. The School is having a new look with various Government interventions.

While in Shendam, the team went to the FRSC Training School permanent site where some construction and rehabilitation work are being carried out. 

The  supervising Architect, Architect Gershon of the  Ministry of Housing took the Journalists round to the boys and girls hostels that have been completed with a gate at the entrance of the girls 3 hostels. 

He pointed out that the Rescue Administration built new structures in some instances and rehabilitated some structures. 

The last point of call in Shendam was the New General Hospital Shendam which is now the proposed Plateau State university Teaching Hospital estimating the level of work done at 70 percent completion.

The Commissioner of Health, Dr Nimkong Ndam Lar,hinted that there will be massive structures to be added to the now Plateau State University Teaching Hospital Shendam. The Commissioner said for now the edifices are for the Plateau State Government but appeals to TETFUND to support the institution. 

It should be noted that the Lalong Legacy Projects are being handled by Bleneson Services Ltd with RC 833032 with the Ministry of Finance as primary contract Ministry. 


The team was also at Langtang South General Hospital, a project initiated by Chief Joshua Chibi Dariye in 2005 and inherited by the Lalong led administration has the main building completed except the other structures initiated by the Lalong Government which included the Dentist Section, Mortuary, Ambulance bay, Doctors and Nurses Station and most importantly the Water Treatment Plant located in the hospital surrounding.


The Commissioner of Housing, Barr Zulfa Bitrus Rimven said the hospital was inherited at the mobilisation level and the Rescue Administration introduced other facilities like the Dental Centre, Doctors and Nurses quarters, Water Treatment Plant,Mortuary etc.He said the new projects awarded in November,2020 with 80% mobilisation will be completed in February,2021 and commissioned in May 2021 after equipping the hospital. 


In his response, the Commissioner of Health, Dr Nimkong Ndam Lar,the son of Langtang South LGA said the hospital is established for the people of Langtang South to serve pregnant women and the sick.


Lar said Governor Simon Bako Lalong KSGG, the people's Governor revitalised the hospital. 


He pointed out that the Rescue Administration modernized the 60 bed capacity hospital to improve the health condition of the people. 


There was a brief stop over at the Langtang North Water Treatment Plant which was rehabilitated the Lalong administration after more than a decade of being non-functional.The generator was put on to  test run the water supply where Journalists fetched the water to ascertain its workability.The Manager informed the Media that the plant pumps 45,000 cubic litres of water per day but supplies only three days a week. 


The Managing Director of Retro Construction Limited, Mr Munzer Aljaboye said the construction and rehabilitation of the Langtang to Garkawa to  Yelwa road with spur to Lalin is on going with  22km so far done.


The Central Senatorial District and the Northern Senatorial District will be visited by the team and Media Executives on Friday and Saturday respectively.