By,Shabul Mazadu.

History is vital especially on the premise of facts and figures as it holds the ace for stock taking and making of rationale decisions for the future. It also stems crucifixion of the innocent and applauding disasters.

It is now 25 years into the Fourth Republic which was ushered in on 29th May, 1999, and has produced four political dispensations with different governors.

On the Plateau, and going by human developmental indices, the best performing Governor is Senator Joshua Dariye despite his incarceration over financial misappropriation of public funds. 

Of all the governors, Dariye was the only who spent seven years in power full of tumults and persecution by the Federal Government and coalition of desperate power mongers on the Plateau who later secured the power but dragged the state backward. 

Let’s see some of Dariye’s achievements:

EDUCATION

Dariye established College of Agriculture Garkawa and the College of Arts and Remedial Studies Kurgwi. 

He relocated College of Education Gindiri which since its creation in 1980 by the Solomon Lar administration was operating on the temporary site, to its permanent site and expanded the courses and structures. 

Plateau State Polytechnic which was running two HND courses had before the end of Dariye’s administration raised to 14 courses accredited by the National Board of Technical Education, NABTE. 

Many physical structures were raised by the Dariye administration in the Polytechnic such as the twin lecture theatre, multi-purpose hall, more classrooms and offices were constructed too. 

His administration upgraded the schools of Health Zawan and Pankshin to full fledged higher institutions of learning being accorded national recognition. 

The same administration established Plateau State University Bokkos. 

HEALTH

Dariye constructed three general hospitals in Dengi, Tunkus and Angware while another three were ongoing in Riyom, Kai and Ba’ap when he left office. He also started Mabudi General Hospital Langtang South, before the administration of Simon Lalong completed it. 

He upgraded Mangu Cottage Hospital established by Solomon Lar to a full fledged General Hospital, likewise Plateau Hospital to Plateau Specialist Hospital. 

Dariye influenced the establishment of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, IHVN, at the Specialist Hospital which is emergency plan for AIDS relief (PEPFAR) by the United States President. 

Today the Institute has one thousand workers and spread in 23 states of the Federation.

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ROADS

One thing with roads is that they always get dilapidated and renovated. There were many roads renovated by Dariye that have gone bad and were renovated by his successors. Of the roads touched by Dariye were: Rock Haven-Utan-Zaria Road, Dadin Kowa road network, Bauchi Bridge-Congo Russia Filin Ball-Rikkos Road and the Bukuru Boulevard Road, Pankshin and Shendam township roads; Amper-Dengi Road and construction of Zai Bridge in Dengi town; rehabilitated the Kerang-Ampang-Mangun Road, Mangu-Gindiri tarred by Solomon Lar; tarred the roads in Gindiri Mission Compound Schools. 

He opened up roads at Sabon Barki-Dadin Kowa-Lomay-Bukuru Low Cost axis etc. 

He constructed the Bemben – Shimankar Road and the Dokan Kasuwa Bridge. 

He constructed the Dadin Kowa, Hillcrest and Jamkwano pedestrian overhead bridges. 

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

In order to fast tract development at the grassroots Dariye created local development areas in addition to the constitutional local governments, created more districts and Chiefdom’s and upgraded traditional institutions but were attacked and dissolved by his successor, Jonah David Jang. 

RELIGION

Dariye constructed the Government House Chapel, called the Chapel of Grace. 

SPORTS

Plateau State won the first Challenge Football Cup trophy under the Dariye administration by Plateau United FC after 12 attempts at the finals. 

Dariye completed the Dadin Kowa Youth Centre were sporting activities ensue. 

None of the Fourth Republic governors executed projects that provide employment to thousands of people and impacted their lives like the Dariye administration. 

The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, IHVN, which he supported and gave backing to has over one thousand workers today with branches in 23 states. Out of the one thousand workers, 250 are from Plateau State. 

Colleges of Arts and Remedial Studies Kurgwi and Agriculture Garkawa, have provided employment to so many citizens both academic and non-academic staff, likewise Plateau State University Bokkos. The relocation and expansion of College of Education Gindiri has increased employment, likewise the additional accredited 12 HND courses of the Polytechnic. The general hospitals in Dengi, Tunkus and Angware too are not left out in the provision of employment to many such as doctors, nurses, cleaners, messengers and so on. 

Dariye’s developmental strides enabled so many students to obtain knowledge and the citizens benefitting health wise. 

In the annals of governance in Plateau with human developmental indices, J.D Gomwalk comes first, then Solomon Lar and Joshua Dariye. On these are the pillars of Plateau civil service. Remove their projects, there will exceptionally be lean civil service in the state. 

The essence of governance is the protection and promotion of socio-economic wellbeing of the citizens with security inclusive. When the citizens are developed, the country is developed. Dariye made human development  a priority in accordance to global practice above his successors. 

There are so many to Dariye’s credit but time and space won’t allow. However, a book in that regard like that of Gomwalk the Man of Vision and the Emancipator (Solomon Lar), will spur the youth into being of greater service to the state.