Cleric tasks Plateau Senator on scholarship, unity
A Cleric, Rev. Fr Celsius Daklong, has urged the newly-elected Senator representing Plateau Southern Zone, Prof. Nora Dadu’ut to facilitate scholarships for youths in the zone.
Daklong, Registrar, Oswald Wala College of Education in Shendam Local Government Area, gave the advice during the senator’s thanksgiving service in Quanpang on Saturday.
He advised the senator to also foster unity among the people.
According to him, the senator should be a good mentor for the youths, while facilitating people-driven policies for rapid development in the region.
Daklong said that her position was apt as Nigeria was in dire need of selfless leaders to lead her out of economic hardship and quell the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A political leader should be sensitive where breakthrough is being sought after.
“Progressive people see challenges as opportunities,” he said.
In his sermon titled, ‘The Necessity of Living a Grateful life’, the cleric said that thanksgiving was required as source of blessings and paved way for more.
“Gratitude should be the foundation of our lives. It increases our peace, joy, flushes out jealousy, protects us from pride and deepens our faith to know God even more,” Daklong said.
He urged Plateau elites to seek the unity of the state and be problem-solvers who used religion for positivity instead of politics.
In his remarks, Gov. Simon Lalong, called on the newly-elected senator to continue with the projects of her predecessor, saying that government was a continuum.
Lalong noted that women in Plateau were occupying sensitive positions as the Minister of Women Affairs, President of the Court of Appeal and recently the Senator of Plateau Southern Zone.
He urged women not to misuse the opportunity given to them but prove their capacity to discharge their duties diligently.
The governor advised Plateau residents to adhere to COVID-19 protocols as the disease is real, leading to economic downturn and many deaths.
“People should be careful because it (COVID-19) is ravaging everywhere,” he said.
He said that to avoid another lockdown which had adverse effects on the economy, the use of facemask would be enforced as well as other COVID-19 protocols.
Lalong noted that personal hygiene is critical, especially as children would be resuming school and were vulnerable.
The governor said his administration is committed to curb security challenges in the state, saying that the penalty of perpetrators of kidnapping is death.
“Kidnapping is not a good occupation. We are going to take many youths out of poverty this year by our involvement in many Federal and State government programmes,” he said.
The governor appealed to local government workers to desist from being used by politicians to disrupt governance through their strike, as the state government was doing its best to improve workers’ welfare.
“I inherited eight months of salaries backlog, pension, lay off of more than 2,000 teachers that I called back,” the governor said.
He said that many projects suspended in the state because of the COVID-19 pandemic would resume in few weeks.
Responding, Dadu’ut urged women to actively participate in politics, saying it is a platform for their emancipation and contribution to development of the state and the country.
She thanked the people for the turnout during the polls, saying it is a sign of confidence reposed on her, while urging them to pray for her to discharge her duties.
