Why govt set up judicial commission of inquiry on Jang —Gov Lalong

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has stated that the move to probe the administration of  former Governor Jonah Jang was informed by a call from the people of the state to review the activities of the past administration.

The governor, who stated this at the inauguration of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to probe his predecessor, said as a responsible government,  his administration could not afford to ignore the deafening call, which he said, by all intents  is justified.

According to him, the delay in the composition of the Judiciary Commission of Inquiry to look into the activities of the past government arose from the fact that the investigations by the anti-graft agencies are process driven, and are bureaucratic compilation of government documents.

He said with the commission in place the government is set for a process that would allow every Plateau person the opportunity to objectively assess how the commonwealth of the state and the affairs of the government were administered.

“I must state, like I have done in my several addresses to the state that what seemed a delayed action concerning the constitution of a Commission of Inquiry, is certainly not a delay, but a deliberate line of action which takes cognisance of the fact that investigations by anti-graft agencies are process driven, and that the bureaucratic compilation of government documents and facts that will be pleaded before any Judicial Commission, must follow the process of law, in line with whatever legal relationship that government would have entered into with any person, group, institution or agency of government.”

Governor Lalong further stated that the constitution of the Commission of Inquiry was certainly not for persecution but to set a solid foundation that would guarantee the prosperity of the people, adding that it was not intended to witch-hunt but to make manifest what had been hidden from the citizens.

“Corruption in all ramifications stagnates and in fact retards development; every leader worthy of the people’s mandate is therefore under the compulsion of duty and conscience to ensure that it is checked, this is one of our modest attempts in ensuring this,” he said.