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Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Plateau State possesses the capacity to become one of Nigeria’s leading producers of high-value commodities, stressing that lasting peace and security are essential to unlocking the state’s vast agricultural and economic potential.
Shettima stated this on Saturday in Jos while representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the public presentation of the autobiography of former Plateau State Governor, Senator Jonah David Jang, titled Airman to Politics: My Life, held as part of activities marking the elder statesman’s 80th birthday.
The Vice President described Plateau as a state richly endowed with fertile land, hardworking people and strategic national institutions, saying these advantages place it in a strong position to drive economic growth and attract investment.
He, however, noted that prosperity can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace, warning that insecurity and violence have continued to undermine farming, trade and commerce in many communities.
“Prosperity cannot survive while fear reigns. A farmer in Riyom depends upon peace beyond his village. A trader in Jos depends upon roads that run through the towns of other men. The confidence of one state is the security of another.”
According to him, Plateau has over the years built its economy through the contributions of farmers, traders, artisans and public servants whose efforts continue to sustain livelihoods and national development.
“It has been sustained by farmers, teachers, traders, artisans and public servants whose quiet labour dignifies our common life.”
Shettima lamented that criminal activities had disrupted economic activities in parts of the state, forcing many productive communities into uncertainty.
“They have turned fertile lands into places of mourning. They have emptied markets with blood. They have sought to replace trust with suspicion and neighbourliness with fear.”
He maintained that with improved security and sustained peace, Plateau could fully harness its agricultural strengths to produce high-value commodities for local consumption, industrial processing and export.
The Vice President added that the state’s unique climate, rich agricultural resources and resilient people make it one of Nigeria’s most promising destinations for agribusiness and value-chain investments.
He also highlighted the presence of key federal institutions in Plateau, including the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), the Police Staff College and the National Centre for Remote Sensing, describing them as strategic assets that support innovation, research and national development.
“These institutions are the pillars of our security, our knowledge, our innovation and our culture, and their influence reaches far beyond our borders.”
Shettima urged Plateau residents to continue embracing peace and unity, insisting that economic growth, investment and job creation can only flourish where there is stability.
“The people at peace is the highest achievement of any government because peace is the soil in which every other prosperity grows.”
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