Online Media Practitioners Salutes Lalong at 57, Expresses Confidence in the Rescue Mission

By Our Reporter

The Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria, OMPAN, has felicitated the Plateau state governor, Rt Hon Simon Bako Lalong on his 57th birthday charging him to accelerate development of the state.

In a press statement jointly signed by the Plateau state chapter of the Association’s Acting Chairman, Yakubu Wuyep Busari and the Acting Secretary, Jide Afolabi on Tuesday in Jos, expressed confidence in Lalong’s leadership and implored his government to include farmers in the palliatives being implemented by the government.

The statement reads, “We heartily congratulate you sir, the Rescue Captain and the Chairman of Northern Governor’s Forum, Your Excellency, Governor Simon Bako Lalong on your 57th birthday.

“As you today turned 57, we urge you to critically reflect on your childhood challenges and remember those who are helpless and vulnerable in our state today, who God has given you the opportunity to govern.

“We congratulate you also for showing exceptional capacity in this daunting task of governance in order to better the lives of the good citizens of Plateau.”

OMPAN said that the Association is not unaware of the fact that the present global pandemic is a deadly disease and need the cooperation of all the stakeholders to partner with the government in order for them to achieve the desire result through the COVID-19 guidelines and preventive measures being put in place by the government.

Meanwhile, the Association condemned in its totality, the killings in Miango district of Bassa Local Government Area where more than 4,000 people were said to have lost their lives.

“We urge the Federal government to reconsider your request, our amiable leader, to build a Military Base in Mahanga, Barkin-Ladi Local Government to protect our natives who have been under persistent attacks.”

OMPAN commended the creation of State Economic Advisory Council to develop a post COVID-19 Economic sustainability and charged the governor to look into the taxation laws in the state.

“We believe that the total lockdown has badly affected petty traders, therefore, the palliatives put in place must be transparently implemented so as to avoid only a few people enriching themselves.

“We appeal that the media practitioners in Plateau state be directly involved in the sharing exercise so as not to allow politicians hijack the governments good intention.

The Association wished the birthday boy, governor Lalong, sound health and wisdom in his quest to move the state forward.