Plateau State is Safe for Investment – Gov Mutfwang

The Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barr Caleb Mutfwang has emphasised in strongest terms that his administration is leaving no stone unturned in making the state a viable investment destination. Gov Mutfwang disclosed this during a roundtable engagement he had in London with Plateau State Association (PSA), UK.

Gov Mutfwang was flanked by the acting Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Hon Cyprain Heen, took time to reel out key strides he has made since assuming office in May, 2023. He emphasized that the challenges he met on ground were daunting, adding that God gave his stability to confront the challenges amidst drained state reserve, escalated insecurity and post-election litigations.

On security, the governor said a lot has gone in and a lot is still in the works in terms of investment and strategy to make the state more secure for life and business, adding that plans were already in advanced stages for phase return of displaced people to their ancestral homes.

He said the leadership re-jig and investment in revenue generation is already yielding fruits as his administration has more than tripled the internally generated revenue cap which he inherited, stating that the target is to expand the tax net even further and block more leakages to generate sufficient revenue that will take care of state wage bill and other developmental strides.

On the transport sector, Gov Mutfwang said he has revamped the state transport company by replacing the rickety vehicles with new ones. He said that all was set for the launch of newly procured metro buses in the coming days as part of revolutionary strides in the sector. Mutfwang also drew applause from the audience when the added that train services would be launched in no distant time as he has already invested significantly on rail tracks, coaches, and other infrastructure, as he invited all and sundry to visit the state and see for themselves.

On Agriculture, the governor said he was committed to improving the quality of and accessibility to farm inputs such as improved and resilient seedlings, subsidised fertilizer and the entire value chain such as post-harvest storage and access to markets to enable farmers make more than subsistence living from the venture.

Other areas highlighted by the governor included tourism, city renewal, health, and education amongst others.

As the Patron of PSA UK, Gov Mutfwang called on members of the Association to put in their best in their services in the foreign land to give Plateau the needed image lift. He also called on PSA members to invest back home, assuring that the negative narratives about the state are often exaggerated to scare investors and give the people bad publicity.

On his part, the acting Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Cyprain Heen encouraged Plateau citizens in diaspora to support the government back home and to be good citizens in their countries of residence.

Earlier in his welcome address, President of PSA, Rwang Chall, told the governor how delighted PSA was to have him around. He informed that the group was non-partisan and it was committed to the growth and development of the state.

The meeting wound up with a powerful prayer session for the governor, the state and the diasporans. The prayer session was led by Revd Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam.

Our correspondent gathered that Revd Dr. Para-Mallam is the President and CEO of the Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Initiative Foundation who facilitated the week-long engagement of Governor Mutfwang in the United Kingdom where he had interractions with members of the British parliament, friends of Plateau in diaspora and Plateau citizens in diaspora among others