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Plateau Govt Hails Council Chairmen as Inspection Tour Reveals Projects Across 17 LGAs
The Plateau State Government has commended the 17 Local Government Council Chairmen for their commitment to grassroots development following a statewide inspection tour of completed and ongoing projects across the three senatorial zones of the state.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Chief Ephraim Usman Gar, gave the commendation on Thursday, November 5, 2026, during a press briefing in Jos, where he presented the findings of the ministry’s inspection exercise.
The tour, which covered all 17 Local Government Areas, was organised to assess the progress and quality of projects initiated by the respective councils, ensure accountability in the utilisation of public funds and determine how effectively local government resources are translating into tangible benefits for residents.
Gar explained that the exercise was part of the ministry’s statutory responsibility to monitor, inspect, guide and provide technical support to local governments, particularly in administration, financial management and the delivery of essential services.
The inspection team comprised the ministry’s management staff, the Special Adviser to Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Jonathan Dabo, representatives of Civil Society Organisations and members of the media.
Expressing satisfaction with the projects inspected, the Commissioner said the performance of the council chairmen demonstrated their commitment to the development vision of the Mutfwang administration.
“I am pleased to report that the 17 Council Chairmen have not disappointed the ‘Time Is Now’ administration. Providing dividends of democracy at the grassroots remains the top priority of this administration. From what we have seen, governance has truly been taken closer to the people,” Gar stated.
Southern Zone: Councils Invest in Infrastructure, Healthcare and Security
The inspection exercise began in the Southern Senatorial Zone, where the team assessed several projects targeting infrastructure development, education, healthcare, youth empowerment and security.
Projects inspected included the ongoing remodelling of youth centres, mini stadiums, Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, legislative chambers, solar-powered streetlights, primary healthcare facilities, motorised boreholes and housing estates for legislators.
The team also visited the Wase Rock Radio and Television Station and facilities at the temporary headquarters of the 175 Infantry Motorcycle Battalion of the Nigerian Army.
Gar described the councils’ support for facilities connected to security operations as a demonstration of the important role local governments can play in strengthening peace and security within their communities.
Central Zone: 23km Road, Healthcare Facilities Feature in Inspection
In the Central Senatorial Zone, the inspection team visited Kanam, Kanke, Pankshin, Mangu and Bokkos Local Government Areas, where it assessed several completed and ongoing projects.
A major highlight was the 23-kilometre Gugur Road construction project in Kanke LGA, which is expected to improve transportation and connectivity for residents and communities along the route.
Other projects inspected included the remodelled Dengi Multipurpose Hall, primary healthcare centres and the 1,500-capacity event hall in Mangu.
At Plateau State University, Bokkos, the team inspected a 200-capacity Anatomy Laboratory reportedly funded by the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).
The inspection also covered the Palace of the Ngolong Ngas and transformers provided for rural electrification, reflecting investments in traditional institutions, educational infrastructure and electricity supply.
Northern Zone: Bridges, Markets and Rural Electrification Under Assessment
The Northern Senatorial Zone, which constituted the final phase of the exercise, covered Bassa, Barkin Ladi, Jos East, Jos North, Jos South and Riyom Local Government Areas.
In the zone, the team inspected projects designed to improve healthcare delivery, rural connectivity, commercial activities, security and administrative efficiency.
Among the facilities visited were primary healthcare centres at Sabon Gari, Chinye-Miango, Garba Daho and Furaka, as well as rural electrification projects in Miango.
The inspection also covered council secretariat complexes, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centres and ultra-modern markets at Rishari-Rutara and Zarakon.
Other notable infrastructure included bridges linking Farin Gada to Rusau and Vwang to Kogot, police station outposts, and town halls in Kwang and Kuru.
According to the Commissioner, the projects reflect efforts by the respective councils to address the developmental needs and priorities of their communities.
Gar Appreciates Mutfwang, Reaffirms Commitment to Grassroots Development
Assessing the overall outcome of the statewide exercise, Gar maintained that the projects inspected across the 17 LGAs were largely people-oriented and aligned with the needs of residents.
He emphasised that sustained commitment by council chairmen, alongside effective collaboration with the state government, remained critical to achieving inclusive and sustainable development at the grassroots.
The Commissioner also appreciated Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang for his support and cooperation, noting that the ministry and local government councils had been given the opportunity to discharge their responsibilities without undue interference.
He further commended the 17 Council Chairmen, traditional institutions, media organisations and Civil Society Organisations for their cooperation and participation throughout the inspection exercise.
The statewide inspection underscores the Plateau State Government’s emphasis on accountability, effective service delivery and inclusive development through the local government system.
With projects covering roads, healthcare, education, electricity, security, markets, youth development and community infrastructure, the exercise provided an opportunity to evaluate how public resources are being deployed to improve living conditions and extend the benefits of governance to communities across Plateau State.
Google plans to extend its free artificial intelligence (AI) training programme to teachers in Nigeria in 2027, as the technology company steps up efforts to equip educators across Sub-Saharan Africa with skills to integrate AI into classroom teaching and learning.
The expansion, according to the technology company, will bring Nigerian educators into the Google AI Educator Series, an initiative designed to help teachers use AI responsibly to develop lessons, personalise instruction, improve classroom delivery and reduce administrative workloads.
Google said the programme would initially launch in South Africa in partnership with the South African Council for Educators (SACE), before expanding to Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana in 2027.
The training will combine virtual and in-person sessions, with a curriculum developed around the practical needs of teachers and the growing application of AI in education.
Google noted that more than 60% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is under the age of 25, highlighting the scale of the region’s young population and the potential for technology-enabled education to improve learning opportunities.
“The curriculum is designed by educators, for educators,” Google said, describing the initiative as a practical training programme to help teachers incorporate AI into their professional activities.
The curriculum will cover how educators can use AI to create engaging lessons, streamline administrative responsibilities and adapt teaching materials to accommodate students with different learning needs.
Teachers participating in the programme will also earn micro-credentials as they progress through the training, providing recognition of the AI competencies acquired.
Google said it would work with local partners, including Ubuntu Hub, to engage educators and support the planned expansion into additional African markets.
The initiative comes as technology companies increasingly explore the application of AI in education, particularly across regions where large classrooms, limited teaching resources and varying student learning needs present challenges to effective instruction.
Google noted that more than 60% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is under the age of 25, highlighting the scale of the region’s young population and the potential for technology-enabled education to improve learning opportunities.
Google backs AI tools for African classrooms
Beyond teacher training, Google is supporting the development of locally tailored AI-powered educational tools aimed at strengthening foundational literacy across African schools.
The company announced a partnership between Google DeepMind and Fab AI, a non-profit organisation focused on education in low- and middle-income countries, to support local innovators developing AI applications for education.
The initiative, backed by joint funding from Google.org and the Gates Foundation, will bring together a cohort of innovators from Kenya, Ghana and South Africa to develop educational solutions using Google’s open Gemma AI models.
Google DeepMind will provide computing credits and technical expertise to support the development of these applications, with an emphasis on using AI to improve teaching practices and learning outcomes.
The proposed tools will address three areas of classroom instruction: helping teachers prepare high-quality lessons aligned with national curricula, providing timely diagnostic feedback and assessments for students, and delivering practice-based coaching to strengthen teaching methods.
Google said small language models (SLMs) could make AI-powered educational applications more accessible in resource-constrained classrooms because they can operate on lower-cost devices and be adapted to local languages and national curricula.
The approach is intended to address some of the limitations associated with deploying larger AI systems in environments where reliable infrastructure and access to expensive computing resources may be constrained.
The first phase of the programme aims to support up to 500 teachers and 15,000 students, with the potential to reach more than two million learners over time.
Google also plans to make the resulting datasets, evaluation suites and open-source models publicly available, allowing researchers, developers and other organisations in the education ecosystem to adapt and scale the solutions.
What Google’s AI education plans mean for Nigeria
Although the initial AI tool development programme will focus on Kenya, Ghana and South Africa, Nigeria is among the countries scheduled to benefit from the expansion of Google’s teacher training initiative in 2027.
The planned rollout could give Nigerian educators access to practical AI skills at a time when schools and education stakeholders are exploring how emerging technologies can improve teaching methods, learning experiences and educational outcomes.
The emphasis on curriculum-aligned lesson planning, student assessment and personalised instruction also points to applications of AI that extend beyond generating educational content.
For Nigerian schools, however, the impact of the initiative will depend on how effectively teachers translate their newly acquired skills into classroom practice. Access to suitable digital devices, reliable internet connectivity and relevant educational resources will also influence how widely these tools can be adopted.
The distinction between training teachers to use AI and developing AI tools specifically for African classrooms is significant. While the educator series seeks to strengthen teachers’ capacity to work with the technology, the Google DeepMind and Fab AI partnership is designed to support locally developed applications that respond to specific educational needs.
Together, the initiatives reflect Google’s broader effort to place educators and local innovators at the centre of AI adoption in African education, combining professional skills development with technology designed around local classroom realities.
Google said stronger local partnerships and continued learning beyond initial training would be important in helping educators translate their AI knowledge into meaningful classroom practice.
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