By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang has called for a stronger collaboration in the areas of technical and science education to harness the potential of young people in the state as he received in a visit, the Ambassador of Czech Republic to Nigeria, Zdeněk Krejčí.

This is as the governor also inaugurated the State Economic Advisory Committee and swore in the five newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, urging them to give their best to improve the state’s lot.

The Ambassador had earlier condoled with the state on recent attacks and highlighted areas of comparative advantage that the state could explore, saying, “I traveled here by road, and I must say, I am very impressed by what I have seen: the spectacular scenery of your mountains.

“I was saddened to hear about the massacres that occurred not too long ago. It is deeply moving to be in this magnificent part of Nigeria, knowing the pain it has witnessed. I came here to explore opportunities for cooperation and development between Plateau State and the Czech Republic.

“I will also be visiting the Reading Garden, a joint project between the Czech Republic and Plateau State, and I am grateful for the commitment you have shown to our cooperation. The Czech Republic is a country with a strong tradition in both machinery and agriculture.”

He stated that although only about 2–3% of his country’s workforce is employed in agriculture, “thanks to our high level of productivity, we are able to feed our entire population and still produce for export.

“We can offer agricultural machinery, including specialized equipment and tractors. We also produce a range of specialized agricultural products for plant and animal production, and irrigation solutions. Another strong sector of ours is mining. Czech companies are experienced in geological research, deposit preparation, and mining equipment.”

The governor swore in the Permanent Secretaries and urged them to do their best, especially as his administration is set to reform the State civil service.

“You’re coming at a critical time when we are trying to reform the State civil service. This is the first time we are writing exams to select permanent secretaries to erase mediocrity. We are going to make massive reposting and reorganization of Civil servants, don’t lobby for any posting…”

While inaugurating the State Economic Advisory Committee, headed by Ibrahim Puri, he stated, “I believe that Plateau State should be the economic hub of Northern Nigeria. Your job is to review our economic policies, regulations and legislation and see how we can repositioned them and attract private sector investment into the state.”

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