A task force established by Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has discovered the excavation of solid minerals within government offices.
The task force is working to recover government property that was allegedly auctioned off.
They have called on the contractor responsible for excavating mineral resources and damaging offices at the Plateau Agricultural Development Programme (PADP) to restore the property according to the signed agreement.
The task force has also urged those who are constructing buildings on encroached lands near Yelwa Club and Kara market to cease their activities.
The market’s leadership has implicated two former commissioners from the state Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Lands and Survey, accusing them of supervising the sale of encroached portions of the market.
During an assessment of the destruction at PADP, David Zoyong, a task force member and sub-committee chair, expressed dismay at the level of damage.
Preliminary investigations suggest that official protocols were involved, and the task force aims to uncover what was removed, who was involved, and why no restoration took place.
The secretary of the task force, Pam Davou, stated that mining activity had taken place at the PADP, resulting in substantial damage to buildings. Over 13 trailers’ worth of resources were reportedly taken away, and the task force called on the responsible contractor to honor the agreement and reclaim the damaged property.
The Program Manager of PADP, Paul Davou, mentioned that there was an official protocol and a signed memorandum of understanding for restoration, but only partial reclamation has occurred thus far.
Regarding the encroachment at Kara market, Zoyong explained that the market was intended to be economically viable but had suffered encroachment.
Illegal structures were erected by individuals connected to unidentified persons.
The market’s vice chairman confirmed that lands within the market had been sold by former commissioners, and the encroachment had caused various challenges for the market community.
The committee expressed gratitude for the government’s intervention in reclaiming the market and promised their cooperation.
They emphasized that the market had been granted by the government for business purposes, and if necessary, they would support the demolition of structures on the encroached portion.
The market community also mentioned the need for a fenced grazing area to prevent animals from entering farmland.
