Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang of Plateau State and his deputy, Ngo Josephine Piyo, on Sunday offered a special thanksgiving service to commemorate three years of the administration, expressing profound gratitude to God and the people of Plateau State for their unwavering support throughout the journey.
The thanksgiving service, held at the COCIN Headquarters Church in Jos, brought together a large gathering of dignitaries, including former governors, serving and former lawmakers, ministers, traditional rulers, religious leaders, members of the State Executive Council, and supporters from across the state.
Speaking during the service, Governor Mutfwang reflected on the challenges and victories that have shaped his administration since assuming office in 2023. He thanked God for divine protection, guidance, and strength, particularly during the intense electoral process, the legal battles that threatened his mandate, and the security challenges confronting the state.
Quoting a popular hymn, the Governor said, “Through it all, I have learned to trust in Jesus; I have learned to trust in God. Through it all, I have learned to depend upon His Word,” emphasizing that faith has remained the foundation of his leadership.
Mutfwang noted that despite the difficulties encountered, God’s grace had enabled his administration to remain focused on delivering meaningful development to the people. He highlighted several achievements recorded over the past three years, including the payment of more than N16 billion in pensions and gratuities and over N4 billion in medical assistance to vulnerable citizens.
The Governor said some of the administration’s most rewarding moments came from seeing the direct impact of government interventions on ordinary citizens.
“When I saw women celebrating after water was restored to communities that had gone almost two decades without public water supply, I was deeply moved. Those moments continue to inspire me to do more,” he said.
He also pointed to investments in healthcare, transportation, agriculture, education, tourism, water supply, and peace-building initiatives as evidence of the administration’s commitment to transforming Plateau State.
According to him, the Plateau Specialist Hospital now operates one of the most advanced medical laboratories in Nigeria, while the Plateau State Drugs and Medical Commodities Management Agency and the State Ambulance Service have significantly improved healthcare delivery across the state.
As the administration enters its fourth year, Governor Mutfwang reaffirmed his commitment to providing purposeful leadership, protecting the interests of Plateau citizens, and ensuring sustainable development across all sectors.
He also paid special tribute to women, youths, and children whose prayers, demonstrations of faith, and solidarity played a significant role during the period leading to the Supreme Court’s affirmation of his electoral victory.
“I will never forget the sacrifices and support of our women, youths, and children. Their faith and resilience during those difficult moments remain a source of strength and inspiration,” he said.
The Governor called on citizens to remain united, prayerful, and committed to the collective vision of building a peaceful, secure, and prosperous Plateau State.
Former Plateau State Governor, Rear Admiral Bitrus Atukum (Rtd.), speaking on behalf of former governors, commended Mutfwang for his dedication to governance and his determination to drive development across the state. He urged citizens to continue supporting the administration through prayers and constructive engagement.
Earlier, Deputy Governor Ngo Josephine Piyo expressed appreciation to God and the people of Plateau State for their confidence in the administration. She noted that significant progress had been made in infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, education, tourism, water supply, and youth empowerment.
According to her, road reconstruction and rehabilitation projects undertaken by the government are improving connectivity and stimulating economic activities in both urban and rural communities.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Plateau State Council of Chiefs and Emirs, the Gbong Gwom Jos, represented by the Agwom Izere, Da Isaac Wakili, commended the administration’s efforts in promoting peace, unity, infrastructure development, healthcare, and agriculture. He urged political actors to avoid divisive rhetoric capable of undermining the state’s progress.
In his sermon titled “Thanksgiving and the Call to Unity,” Plateau State CAN Chairman, Rev. Dunka Gomwalk, encouraged citizens to embrace gratitude and unity, stressing that peace and development can only thrive when people work together despite their differences.
He praised Governor Mutfwang for returning to God in thanksgiving and for maintaining a leadership style anchored on prayer, resilience, and commitment to the welfare of the people.
The service also featured goodwill messages from church leaders, including the President of COCIN, Rev. Dr. Amos Mohzo, and the President of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, represented by Rev. Stephen Panya Baba, both of whom commended the Governor’s dedication to the development of Plateau State.
Special prayers were offered for lasting peace, security, and prosperity in Plateau State, while worshippers prayed for God’s continued wisdom, strength, protection, and guidance upon Governor Mutfwang as he continues to lead the state into its next phase of development.
Nigerian sprint star Rosemary Chukwuma has expressed her satisfaction with her continued development after claiming two individual silver medals at the African Championships, while maintaining her position as Africa’s fastest woman of the season in both the 100m and 200m events.
Sports247 reports that Chukwuma has enjoyed an impressive campaign, recording season-best performances of 10.95 seconds in the 100m and 22.45 seconds in the 200m.
Those times currently stand as the fastest by any African woman this year, further highlighting her growing status among the continent’s elite sprinters.
Speaking after her medal-winning performances at the championships, the Nigerian reflected on her journey since turning professional two years ago and acknowledged the role her coach has played in her development.
“I am excited and happy. I won’t say I am disappointed. After turning professional two years ago, I need to thank my coach,” Chukwuma said.
The sprinter specifically credited renowned coach Dennis Shaver for helping her transition successfully into the professional ranks.
Since making the move from collegiate athletics, Chukwuma has continued to improve technically and physically, becoming one of Nigeria’s most reliable performers on the international stage.
Her performances at the African Championships demonstrated both consistency and competitiveness, earning her podium finishes against some of the continent’s top athletes.
While gold medals may have narrowly escaped her, the silver-medal haul and season-leading times underline the progress she has made.
Chukwuma’s achievements this season are particularly significant as she continues to build momentum ahead of future international competitions.
Her ability to consistently produce world-class times has placed her among the leading African contenders in the sprint events.
The former collegiate standout remains one of Nigeria’s brightest athletics prospects, and her latest performances suggest there is still room for further improvement.
With the guidance of Coach Shaver and increasing experience at the highest level, Chukwuma appears poised for even greater success in the coming years.
For now, the Nigerian sprinter can take pride in a season that has seen her remain Africa’s fastest woman over both sprint distances while adding two continental silver medals to her growing collection of achievements.
Nigerian stocks reported a modest gain last week, appreciating by 0.3 per cent as the market only ran limited trading sessions on account of the public holidays commemorating Eid el Adha celebrations.
The advance was largely driven by increased demand for oil and gas stocks.
The main equity index has returned 60.9 per cent year to date, with just five months gone in 2026.
“From a technical standpoint, the market’s 10-day RSI moderated further to 71.47pts (vs. 78.93pts in the prior week), indicating that while the market remains in overbought territory, momentum has continued to ease, thereby reducing the intensity of previous overheating concerns and creates room for fresh buying interest to emerge,” said analysts at Meristem Securities in their outlook for the week.
PREMIUM TIMES has assembled some stocks with sound fundamentals, adopting rigorous approaches to save you the risk of picking equities at random for investment.
The pick, a product of an analytical market watch, offers a guide to entering the market and taking strategic positions, with the expectation that selected stocks will record reasonable price appreciation with the passage of time.
This is not a buy, sell or hold recommendation but a stock investment guide. You may need to involve your financial advisor before taking investment decisions.
Sterling Bank
Sterling Bank tops this week’s pick on the basis of its strong fundamentals and for trading below its intrinsic value. The financial institution’s net profit ratio (NPR) is 16.4 per cent, while the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio is 5.1x. Its RSI is 53.4.
Coronation Insurance
Coronation Insurance makes the selection by virtue of its strong fundamentals. The NPR of the underwriter is 9.2 per cent, while the PE ratio is 9x. Its relative strength index (RSI) is 49.3.
Nascon Allied Industries
Nascon appears on the pick on the basis of its robust fundamentals. The NPR of the company is 22 per cent, while the PE ratio is 17.7x. The RSI is 66.1.
Aradel Holdings
Aradel makes the selection on the basis of its strong fundamentals. The NPR of the energy firm is 57.5 per cent, while the PE ratio is 21.5x. Its RSI is 67.8.
MTN Nigeria
MTN Nigeria makes the cut by virtue of its strong fundamentals. The NPR of the telco is 23.7x, while the PE ratio is 12.9. The RSI is 53.3.