Plateau retrieves 60 diverted public assets

The Plateau State Government says it has recovered more than 60 public properties, including buildings, vehicles and construction equipment, in an ongoing effort to reclaim properties allegedly diverted or illegally occupied across the state.

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The recoveries were disclosed on Tuesday by the chairperson of the Task Force on Recovery of Government Properties, Nash Yakubu, a retired army general, while presenting an interim report to Jerry Satmak, the chief of staff to Governor Caleb Mutfwang, in Jos.

An aide to the governor, Precious Yohanna, confirmed the development, noting that the exercise remains active.

“The task force has recovered some properties and continues to recover others. So far, over 60 assets, including buildings, have been retrieved,” he said.

Mr Yakubu said the task force, which has operated for over a year, has made “significant progress” in tracking and reclaiming government-owned properties.

According to him, assets that could not be moved to Jos were secured at various local government headquarters, while those within the Jos metropolis were transferred to a central holding facility.

“Although this report captures our progress so far, the exercise is still ongoing,” he said. “Even as we conclude this presentation, further recoveries are underway. The more we recover, the more we uncover.”

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He added that citizens’ cooperation has been critical to the effort, explaining that the task force adopted a “see something, say something” approach to encourage public participation.

Dedicated telephone lines and an official email address were opened to receive tips, alongside regular television briefings that allowed residents to share information, he said.

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Receiving the report on behalf of the state government, Mr Satmak commended the task force for its diligence and commitment, assuring members of continued government support to enable them to fully execute their mandate.

He reiterated the administration’s resolve to recover all government properties and ensure they are deployed for public benefit.

Officials present at the briefing included the Commissioner for Works, Joshua Ubandoma; the Commissioner for Lands, Peter Gai; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Keziah Dung; and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Solomon Kadiya.