By Golok Nanmwa ,Jos
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has felicitated with Christians in the state, the nation and the entire world as they celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ, stressing that they should emulate the life of Jesus at Christmas.
Governor Lalong in a statement signed by Mark Longyen, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity said that Christmas was not just a period to celebrate the birthday of Christ, but also a time for sober reflection, fervent prayers and an opportunity for all believers to demonstrate their love for all mankind, notwithstanding their religious differences, just as Jesus came to salvage all mankind.”
According to Lalong, Christians should emulate Christ by aligning themselves with all his teachings in every ramification, particularly as they celebrate his birthday. This, for instance, he said, should be by way of giving alms and sharing what we have with the the needy like the orphans, widows, and the homeless, among others.
The Governor said that as the 2019 general elections draw nearer, political parties and their supporters should conduct themselves peacefully and engage in issue-based campaigns to avoid overheating the polity and causing crises. He urged all politicians and their supporters, particularly the opposition, to shun the politics of bitterness and rancor in their campaigns, as well as pray
fervently for the successful conduct of the 2019 general elections.
“Without prayers, brotherly love, forgiveness, harmony, tolerance and accommodation, religion would be meaninglessness while peace would be elusive in the society,” the Governor admonished.
He stressed that religion should be the moral compass for all believers in their public and personal lives, and so people should let the teachings of their religions influence their conducts,so as to eliminate challenges such as election violence, corruption, kidnappings and killings, among others.
Governor Lalong reassured the people of the state that his administration would continue to take proactive measures to guarantee the security of lives and property, while sustaining the relative peace already attained and consolidating on the achievements so far made in the last three and a half years.
The Governor added that government would sustain the payment of salaries as and when due, complete inherited projects, resuscitate hitherto abandoned industries, construct new roads, particularly rural roads across the state, develop health and school facilities, and continue with the existing interventions in the electrification, water supply and other critical infrastructure in all the nooks and crannies of Plateau State.
