An All Progressives Youth Congress (APC) Youth group known as APC Patriotic Front, Kanke Local Government through its Coordinator, Hon Alvin Tongzum Paul who doubles as the State Secretary of the group, has counseled the Plateau State Commissioner for Works, Hon Dr Ubandoma Joshua Laven to take his party’s vendetta to his home local government, Langtang North
The group in a message made available to Trill Times News signed by Hon Paul dated Sunday 9th February, 2025 reads:
APC PATRIOTIC YOUTH FRONT, kANKE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
HON UBANDOMA LAVEN: TAKE YOUR PARTIES’ VENDETTA TO YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ALLOW KANKE TO ENJOY DEVELOPMENT.
Press Release
9 February 2025.
The deliberate neglect of Kanke Local Government in the fair share of the allocation coming to the state for development by the Barr. Caleb Mutfwang’s government is no longer news, but what is more worrisome is the effort exerted by the state government to halt ongoing projects initiated by people who mean well for Kanke local government.
For the first time since being elected, the Kanke local government was greeted by a delegation of the governor at Shiwer on Friday, 7 February 2025. After a long forlorn hope of the state government’s presence in Kanke, this visit, instead of restoring hope to our people, appears as only a vendetta covered in pretense.
Without a doubt, the restiveness was prompted after the member representing the people of Pankshin-Kanke-Kanam, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi challenged the state government on national TV for underperformance with particularity to the constituency he represents – Pankshin, Kanke, Kanam Federal Constituency
While we appreciate the governor for responding to the wake-up call by Hon. Gagdi, we want to state that the intention is questionable.
In the speech of the commissioner of works, Hon. Ubandoma Laven, who led the governor’s delegation of a long convoy, loud sirens with questionable intentions, asserted that their visit was to assess the state government’s abandoned projects.
It raises eyebrows that out of all the state government abandoned projects in Kanke, the only one the state government is interested in is the one ongoing construction by Hon. Gagdi. It is noteworthy that this project was abandoned in 2008, and Hon. Gagdi took the project in 2022. Where was the state government from 2023 -2025?
Also, it is mischievous for the commissioner to say that the community was not consulted before the commencement of the Gunji-Shiwer- Dokpai road. On the 26th of December, 2024, Hon. Gagdi held a meeting with the District heads,
Village heads and development Excos of Amper district in the Amper district office where he briefed the community and the community leaders that work will resume for the construction of the Gunji-Shiwer-Dokpai road as we see today.
On that same day, Hon. Gagdi attended the Gunji day and also informed the community of the continuation of the Gunji road and a new palace for the village head of Gunji.
At the risk of misrepresentation, we want to state that this is an attempt to stifle ongoing development in Kanke. The state government should look at locations of other abandoned projects in Kanke and focus on it if the intention is really about developing Kanke.
