Revisit inclusion of Plateau among NEDC beneficiaries, govt tells NASS

THE Secretary to the Plateau State Government, Hon Rufus Bature has called on the National Assembly and the federal Government to reconsider the possibility of including Plateau State as beneficiary of the North-East Development Commission saying Plateau witnessed more crises than most of the northern states.

It will be recalled that the Senate, while passing the Bill for an Act to establish North-East Development Commission and other related matters, had included both Plateau and Kano States as beneficiaries of the commission because they had also been negatively affected by the activities of Boko Haram insurgents.

Hon Bature made the call at the opening ceremony of the Technical session of the Regional Summit on the Hadeja-Jamare, Komodugu, Yobe Basin Trust Fund and Strategies for its resuscitation in Jos, Plateau State on Monday.

“There is the need to revisit the issue since all of us experienced similar crisis, the removal of Plateau was a big shock to the people of this state considering what we experienced during the crisis. Today the scar is still there for everybody to see. I am therefore appealing to the Senate and the federal government to revisit the issue” he appealed.

The Secretary to the State Government said there are uncertainties regarding the details of the climate change viability adding that past experience in Plateau State has shown the extent of ecological disasters such as flood, erosion and droughts.

He stated that the problems have continue to threaten the lives, properties and economic activities of the people adding that any intensification of the problems will therefore be a source of concern to the government and measures must be device to proactively combat them.

Hon Bature who said government is aware of the efforts being made by the international bodies highlighting the drying of lake Chad phenomena and the socio economic impact on the human bodies, stated that the present government policies have been geared towards the development of water resources and the statutory responsibility for the sector

The SSG further stated that the present government policy is focused on the development of the water sector and encouragement of cooperation among stakeholders whose function and activities impact on the environment.