By Martha Agas
The Plateau Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, has urged the Gov. Caleb Mutfwang, to prioritise fostering peaceful co-existence and security in the state.
The Chairman of the council, the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang-Buba, made the call when he led the council members on a courtesy visit on Mutfwang, on Monday, at the Government House, Jos.
The royal father said that peace was critical to the stability of the state, in order to to shore up development, adding that all Plateau people were being affected by the spate of attacks in the state.
According to the chairman, the visit was to congratulate the governor on his success at the poll, and to offer the council’s support in finding lasting solutions to insecurity in the state.
‘“We want to appeal to you to open up your heart that God may use you to govern Plateau in accordance to His will.
“So that by His grace, we will return to normalcy and begin to witness peace and development in the state,” Gyang-Buba said.
He urged the governor to work closely with the Federal Government, to enable the state derive some benefits, saying that politics were over, and leaders should unite for the growth and development of the county, irrespective of party affiliations.
Responding , the governor thanked the council for the role it had been playing in preserving the unity and peace in their various domains, and urged them to put in more efforts.
He said that his administration was determined to seek lasting solutions to insecurity in the state; and to protect Plateau people irrespective of their differences.
“The preservation of the whole Plateau State, is a task that must be done. For us as a government, we do not have any boundaries across faith or across tribe.
“For us, everybody that is both indigenous and residing within the boundaries of Plateau, is our subject and our concern,” he said.
According to him traditional leaders play critical role in mobilising their subjects to maintain peace, and therefore, urged them to speak, particularly to youths in their domains, to seek their cooperation in achieving their goal.
He cautioned those he termed as divisive leaders and crisis merchants, against causing tension in the state, and to desist from spreading fake news and sowing seeds of discord, aimed at destabilising peace on the Plateau.
He described the rulers as repositories of knowledge, who were held in high esteem, saying that their influence could facilitate good governance and access to dividends of democracy.
Mutfwang said he was set to begin series of engagements with several groups in the state, with a view to getting suggestions on ways of ending attacks in the state.
