PLATEAU STATE

PLATEAU STATE

Governor: Jonah Jang (PDP)

Deputy Governor: Pauline Tallen

Date Created: February 1976.

Capital City: Jos

Major Towns: Jos, Bukuru, Barkin/Ladi, Pankshin, Shendam,Langtang, Vom.

Plateau State came into being in February 1976 when it was carved out from the former Benue/plateau State. Before the exercise, the area now known as Plateau State was part of the defunct Province of Bauchi.

There are 17 local government areas in Plateau State. These are Jos North, Bassa, Jos South, Barakin/ladi, Bokkos, Mangu, Pankshin, Kanam, Langtang North, Wase, Langtang South, Qua'an Pan, Jos East, Riyom, Mikang and Kanke.

Some of the indigenous ethnic grouping that make up the state include the Berom, Nges, Tarok, Geomal, Youm, Montol, Rukuba, Challa, Jarawa, Atem etc.

Plateau State derives its name from the geographical landscape that predominates in this part of the country often referred to as Jos Plateau. The Plateau highland stands on an average heights of 400 metres above sea level with peaks like the famous Shere hills around where the famous Citizenship and Leadership Mountain School is located.

The foregoing physical features confer on the state a scenic beauty that makes it a tourist haven, perhaps comparable to non in the country. Its picturesque landscape include chains of captivating rock formations beautifully shaped and bare rocks, chains of hills, artificial hillock and deep gorges. Other tourist attractions include beautiful water falls the best known of which are Asop falls, located 64 kilometres on the Jos Akwanga Road and the Kura falls surrounded by beautiful lakes.

The Jos Wildlife Safari park, Museum, zoological Garden, the Ultra Modern Market, Shere Hills Mountains Schools and Standard shopping malls are some of the tourist attactions in and around the state capital. Major festivals in the state include, Mandieng, Pisdung, Puskat, Bit, Geomai, Kwa-Kwa etc.

Jos is the state capital, and the cradle of tin mining operations on the Plateau. Jos has an enviable weather and a fascinating rock environment. It houses many institutions of research and learning, prominent among which are, University of Jos, Police Staff College, Bukuru, St. Augustine Major Seminary, Jos and the Theological College of Northern Nigeria.

The Jos Airport located at Heipang, 29 kilometres south of Jos is serviced by the scheduled domestic flight of the Nigeria Airways and other private airlines on a daily basis.

Healthcare delivery services also receive priority attention. There are the Jos University Teaching Hospital and Jos Specialist Hospital. General Hospitals and Health Centers spread across the State. Similarly, private clinics and hospitals abound in many parts of the State.

This State of scenic beauty is known for both agricultural and manufacturing activities. Agricultural products are produced in large scale and include potatoes, groundnut, vegetables of varied sorts,fruits, yams and many other items.

The industrial development of Plateau State is phenomenal and predicated on its rich natural resources as cassiterite, barytes, clay, kaolin columbite, tin, gemstone, galena quartz and feldspar.

Priority is given to agro-industries which utilise local raw materials. Some of the industrial and commercial concerns in the State are: Jos International Breweries Limited- brewers of Rock Lager Beer; Brewery Agro-Research Company, Plateau Bottling Company; Plateau Glass Containers Industries; ROC Hotel Ltd; and Nasreddin Group of Companies International Ltd.