By Christie Pam Makut, Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Chairman of Jos South LGA.
In an era where political leadership is often measured by the volume of its rhetoric, the story unfolding in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State offers a compelling counter narrative. As the Executive Chairman, Hon. Silas Patrick Dung, marks his first year in office, the metrics of his success are found not in lofty promises, but in the concrete and life altering projects that have touched every corner of the LGA.
Hon. Silas’s tenure has been defined by his visible presence, walking through communities, inspecting project sites, and listening to the grassroots. His administration has delivered a masterclass in how focused, people centric leadership can catalyze development.
The most poignant symbol of this transformation is the Gura Dabwan Bridge in the Tanchol/Nyango area. For generations, a raging river served as a deadly barrier, claiming lives and severing communities. The completion of this robust bridge is more than an infrastructure project, it has replaced fear with safety, isolation with access, and represents a fundamental covenant between the government and the governed.
This commitment extends across the LGA. The massive 3-Celled Box Culvert at Vwang Kogot is poised to finally break a generational cycle of devastating floods, securing lives and livelihoods. Furthermore, the strategic renovation of the Jos South Local Government Secretariat has transformed a symbol of neglect into a dynamic, modern engine for administration, boosting staff morale and service delivery.
Recognizing that 21st-century governance requires 21st-century tools, the administration has executed a monumental digital leap. The establishment of a new ICT Center, powered by Starlink satellite technology, has catapulted Jos South into the fast lane of the digital age. This is complemented by the launch of a functional website for the LGA, a rarity among Nigeria’s 774 local governments, bringing transparency and information directly to the people.
Investment in human capital has been equally strategic. The remodeling of the LGA Chairman’s guest house into a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Lodge in Kuru provides a safe environment for the nation’s future leaders. Most critically, a revolution in education is underway. The comprehensive renovation and fencing of schools like LEA Pegi in Kuru, LEA Gyel, RCM Zaramaganda, and LEA Turu have created secure learning environments. The remodel and upgrade of St. George’s Primary School in Rayfield to a Junior Secondary School is a masterstroke, addressing the dangerous journeys children faced and strategically keeping teenagers, especially girls, within a safe and supportive educational pipeline.
Hon. Silas’s focus on healthcare reveals a profound understanding of human dignity. The revitalization of Nyango Hospital and the completion of a Primary Health Centre in the previously underserved Dakun Pyam, Turu ‘A’, have brought quality care to the people’s doorsteps. In an innovative first, a fully equipped Sick Bay was established within the Council Secretariat, ensuring the health and productivity of the civil service workforce. The Chairman has also ensured the payment of medical bills across the LGA.
Security, the bedrock of all development, has been fortified. The completion of the Police Outpost in Du and the provision of 20 new patrol motorcycles to conventional and non conventional security agencies have made the presence of law and order mobile, responsive, and pervasive, ensuring communities can sleep in peace. Throughout the year, Hon. Silas, has consistently engaged with traditional rulers, faith-based institutions, and security bodies to promote peace and foster collaborative governance.
The Administration is building a resilient economy from the ground up. The direct sponsorship of 15 youths in fashion/design and the ongoing construction of a massive Skill Acquisition Centre in Lyoh, Gyel with a capacity of two thousand, signals a shift from creating dependencies to creating entrepreneurs.
The completion of a Town Hall in Chugwi and the ongoing construction of the Kwang, Rayfield Town Hall provide vital spaces for dialogue, cultural preservation, and civic engagement, strengthening the very fabric of society. This holistic approach is rounded out by critical interventions like the provision of six new transformers to end years of darkness in six communities, the distribution of subsidized fertilizer for farmers to boost food security, and educational grants for undergraduate and postgraduate students, registering 500 students during the last JAMB and investing in the intellectual capital for tomorrow. The administration has also drilled 16 new boreholes across the LGA, two of which are motorized.
This commitment is attested to by the NULGE Chairman for Jos South, Comr. Stephen Mali Jok, who expressed deep appreciation for Hon. Silas’s steadfast commitment to staff welfare, specifically the clearing of the backlog of burial expenses, repatriation, and disturbance allowances dating as far back as 2020.
Under the supportive and visionary leadership of His Excellency, the Executive Governor Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, and through the hands on dedication of Hon. Silas Patrick Dung, Jos South is experiencing a renaissance. His recent hosting of all 17 LGA Chairmen on a peer review tour underscores a leadership style that inspires beyond its own borders.
In one year, the narrative of governance in Jos South has been rewritten. From the monumental Gura Dabwan Bridge to the completion of the Chapel within the Local Government Secretariat, the measure of this leadership is found in both transformative projects and transformative compassion.
The true legacy is seen in the smiles of schoolchildren, the relief of a patient receiving care, the gratitude of a pensioner’s family, and the pride of a trader in a revitalized market. Hon. Silas’s first year stands as a powerful testament to a simple, yet profound, truth: Leadership is Service.
