The Time Is Now Mantra of His Excellency, Barr Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang administration on the Plateau which has decisively set a precedent by diligently, transparently, and innovatively serving the populace within the first one year in office, has vowed to continue delivering meritorious service until its last day in office.
Hon. Musa Ibrahim Ashoms, Commissioner for Information and Communication gave the assurance on Wednesday, 8th May, 2024 while speaking as the 18th Guest of POINTBLANK INTERACTIVE SESSION, an intriguing and engaging public chat that ensures crystal clear information are exchanged between the government and the people.
He said “legitimacy of any government is anchored on the confidence and trust of its citizens. Therefore, The Time Is Now Mantra is constantly working hard on delivery good governance to prove itself worthy of this special relationship through entrenching a culture of excellent performance and accountability. We will raise the bar of good governance, sustain the momentum, and make sure that Plateau State goes back to its glorious days of pride”
Ashoms who maintained a humble disposition throughout the interactive session signifying great appreciation of the massive support the Mutfwang’s administration is receiving across the state was reluctant to rate the government that he is part of. According to him, “it negates the principles of objectivity and amounts to one being a judge in his own case”, the Commissioner however, rated Gov Mutfwang’s administration 9/10 leaving only one out for margin of human error.
He affirmed that the government understands that the authority vested in them is a direct endowment from the goodwill of the people they serve and Plateau State Government under Governor Mutfwang is working diligently to maintain the public trust through excellent governance by making his leadership a paragon of such practices.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the eloquent Commissioner delved into his ministry mandate which is basically service delivery saying “we have a clear cut mandate of spying of information gathering and dissemination of government policies and programmes.” The ministry according to the Commissioner is also “saddled with the responsibility of monitoring and coordinating the activities of all the parastatals, boards and departments within the ministry, mobilizing and enlightening the citizens while taking feedback to government”.
To achieve its core mandate, the ministry under him has “developed a working relationship by liaising with all media outfits and related organizations in projecting positive image of government and its citizenry”. The ministry has achieved a milestone of organizing Ministerial press briefing where commissioners, Director Generals, Executive Secretaries, General Managers, Chairmen of Boards and Parastatals interface with the media to give their scorecard, this hasn’t been done for almost two decades.
Shedding more lights on the indices used for the assessment of good governance, Hon Ashoms insisted that good governance can be measured by both tangible and intangible indices, physical infrastructural and invisible policies such as the unsung heroics of the Ministry of Budget and Planning who work underground to reinforce the physical infrastructural transformation that is visible to all.
He reeled out some of the eye catching accomplishments of the government within the first One year to include exploits in the transportation sector, Jos Metropolitan Development Board, JMDB, Plateau State Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency, PEPSA, agricultural sector, health sector, Plateau Road Maintenance Agency which has fixed 47.3km of internal roads, Abattior bridge etc
He appealed to all and sundry to “join the government in making the city a smart one to the benefit of every Plateau son and daughter, and to present a city worthy of admiration to our visitors therefore people should not build on waterways, haphazardly, highways, litter the surrounding but must love our neighbours as ourselves”.
He added that the government is evidently attentive to its responsibilities and is striving to surpass expectations, hence justifying the continued support of the people but that Plateau people as collaborators and partners in progress must embrace the virtues of love the state is known for
Underlining Transparency and accountability as cornerstones of Governor Mutfwang’s administrative ethos, the Commissioner said the culture of deepening accountability has not only assisted in delivering quality governance but has won the state an award as the only state in the Federation to give its breakdown on how the palliatives received from the Federal Government was expended
He emphasized that accountability in government operations does not only fortifies trust but also encourages active civic engagement, engendering a more robust and responsive governance framework. According to him “Governor Mutfwang’s policies and projects have consistently been subjected to public review with inputs from benefitting communities, thus fostering a culture of integrity and public confidence”.
Clarifying the notion that payment of salary is an achievement, Ashoms drew inspiration from the Holy Bible that said “a worker is deserving of his wages, so we cannot afford not to pay our people. We do not see that as an achievement but what we are elected to do as a government. So paying Plateau people their well deserved salary is not what one would hit his chest like King Kong and celebrate it. Instead, prompt payment of salaries stimulate microeconomy”
Hon. Musa Ibrahim Ashoms says the government will not rely on the laurels of the achievements recorded in the past one year but remains resolute to serve with an untiring zeal for distinction. The blueprint for the state’s development under The Time Is Now Mantra is not a static manuscript, but a living testament to a rapidly transformative vision that constantly evolves in response to the pulse of the people’s aspirations.
“We want to thank Plateau People for this show of love, it is massive, we are not taking it for granted, we will make sure you will love us to the end because it is better the end of a matter than the beginning. It is clear and obvious that we started on a good note and our people are happy and we will continue to make our people happier so that at the end of our 8 years in office, they will be the happiest people in the world”. “We want to thank Plateau people for the opportunity for Barr Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang to lead Plateau State to glory. Be rest assured that we will continue to work, fight and serve in your interest like we have always done” concluded Ashoms
