Today, our Make Nigeria Better bandwagon rolls into Plateau State to look at its economic potential

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Most Nigerians may not know it but during the colonial era, the British actually planned to establish a European settler colony in Jos, the Plateau State capital. Because they found the Jos climate highly suitable, the Europeans wanted to establish an enclave there. Just imagine what kind of economy this would have allowed Plateau State to have

[2] Basically, what was envisaged for modern day Plateau State by the Europeans was an economy similar to what prevailed in the white settler colonies of Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, etc. France also had such ambitions in Algeria until the FNL said it was having none of it. What was planned was a self-reliant diaspora settler enclave that generated its own investment capital, grew crops, processed food, was a touris haven, manufactured goods using local raw materials and offered a living standard comparable to what prevailed in Europe

[3] Unfortunately, Plateau State is light years away from that at the moment as it is 22nd on the Nigerian human development index. Plateau State’s motto is the Land of Peace and Tourism but today, it is neither peaceful and attracts very few tourists. It is time for the state government to go back to the drawing board

[4] Historically, Plateau State is best known for its mining production, with its world famous tin mine. This was never expanded upon as by now, Jos should be a city of tin, aluminium and steel smelters, all churning out finished goods and supplying heavy industry like automobile manufacturing plants

[5] Other than this, agriculture is the major occupation of the Plateau people. Acha (a grain known as hungry rice) and millet are the chief cash crops grown in the state. Why are its urban centre like Jos, Wase, Langtang, Pankshin, Shendam, etc not home to grain mills, massive bakeries, food processing plants, animal feed compounders, etc? Food crops widely grown in Plateau State include yams, sorghum, corn, potatoes, cowpeas, rice, fruits, and vegetables. Again where are the food processing plants to convert all this into exportable finished products?

[6] What constitutes a crime against humanity is the current state of Plateau’s so called tourist attractions. Why are all the following not thriving, booming tourist attractions - The Jos Wildlife Safari Park, the National Museum in Jos, the adjacent Museum of Traditional Nigerian Architecture, Jos Zoo, Solomon Lar Amusement Park, Kurra Falls, Wase Rock, Kerang Highlands, Shere Hills, Riyom Rock, Pandam Game Reserve and Kahwang Rock Formation

[7] Wase Rock in particular should by a Unesco heritage site as it is one of only five breeding sites of the white pelican in Africa. Tourist should be flocking there in their millions annually

[8] In terms of manufacturing, Plateau State actually has a Kerang Highlands Spring Water Factory located about 88 km from Jos. Its volcanic hills are the source of natural mountain springs, which are use for bottled water. I see no reason why this factory should not be expanded into one of the largest in the world, producing for export

[9] It should also be noted that the Pandam Game Reserve is a largely unspoilt wildlife sanctuary with hippopotami, crocodiles and several snake species. I see no reason why it should not be expanded upon and upgraded to the level of say South Africa’s Kruge National Park

[10] Natural resources Plateau State has include barite, bauxite, bentonite, bismuth, cassiterite, clay, coal, emeralds, fluoride, granite, iron ore, kaolin, lead/zinc, marble, molybdenite, pyrochlore, salt, tantalite/columbite and tin/ wolfram. For all these, we need processing plants to convert raw materials into finished goods.

Ayoakinfe@gmail.com