Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has declared that the State would not surrender an inch of its land to any violent body or group.
Mufwang reiterated his commitment in providing adequate securities to farmers across troubled communities, in order to boost food production in the State.
He said this at the weekend while addressing Berom Nation at the 2024 Nzem Berom Cultural Festival held at the famous Rwang Pam Township Stadium in Jos.
Mufwang said the State plays a key role in contributing to national food security, and as such, machineries have since been put in place to safeguard farmers during this year’s farming season.
“Plateau people are not beggars; if nobody supports us, we do ourselves. This resilience kept us together over the years despite the attacks.
“And that is why today; the contribution of the people of Plateau State to the national food basket cannot be underestimated. If not for food that comes from Plateau State, Nigerians will go hungry.
“In the coming days, we will stand shoulder-to-shoulder to resist those who seek to decimate us. We will stand shoulder-to-shoulder to protect the land that God has given us for inheritance. Though the giants may be on our way to hinder, but God will give us victory. God will be with us as He has always been over the years,” he stated
He added: “This year, we are making arrangements to beef up the security around our farmlands. I, therefore, urged you to go back to the farm; we will not surrender the farmlands to anyone.
“We are trusting God that security personnel will begin to move round and make sure that our people go to the farm and return safely. By the grace of God, we will continue to work with the security agencies on ground and make sure they do their jobs better and better,” the governor noted
He commended the Berom Nation for their doggedness and determination to add value to their society with the launching and fund raising as a people for building a training hub to complement government efforts.
The governor further appealed to citizens of the State, who have gotten fertilizer, not to resale them, but make good use of the fertilizers on their farms, adding that the State is expecting a little more from the Federal government. However, he said that only verified farmers will have access to the farm input.
Mutfwang promised to redeem the pledges made four years ago to the Berom Nation by the last administration of Simon Lalong to the tune of N25million.
He equally announced his personal contribution to the “Wurom Legacy Trust Fund” to support the training of 75 young women, and 75 young men at the Hub respectively.
The President of the Plateau State Council of Chiefs and the Gbong-Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, appealed for adequate protection of his people as they return to their ancestral land to cultivate.
“Our people have gone back to their lands to continue the age-old tradition of farming. We will appeal that the security agencies works with the government of Plateau sSate to ensure protection for the people, so that we can produce the food that we will need to sustain our lives, not only in Plateau State, but in Nigeria as a whole,” he said
The Royal father bemoaned the escalating prices of food, saying the demand has kept rising on a daily basis with the supply being shut down by the displacement of locals at various locations in the State.
“The food supply has been shut, not because our people are lazy, but because of the insecurity. And so we will appeal for security so that we can continue to farm and feed our people.
“We will also appeal to the government to ensure the peaceful co-existence of the people of Plateau State. But like I said, the lands that each ethnic nationality occupies was given by God,” Buba added.