Government Have Neglected Us,Shonong Development Association Laments

The President of a sociocultural group known as Shonong Development Association SDA in Plateau State, Mr. Davou Jambol has decried what he described as government negligence to the return of their displaced people home, since the attack on the community last year.

The President of the Association was speaking at the funeral of the Gwom Shonong, Da Timothy Kavei Dalyop the traditional ruler of the Shonong Community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, where he expressed worry over government’s inability to create an environment conducive for the natives to return and rebuild their ruined ancestral homes to continue their livelihood.

He recalled how the community have been attacked more than four times since 2012 and the people were rebuilding their homes until the worse attack in June last year in the community and other parts of the communities in Riyom, Barkin Ladi and parts of Jos South LGAs that claimed over 200 lives, displaced over 3000 and hundreds of houses and farmlands were destroyed.

He said after the last year’s attack, both Federal and State Governments made some promises to rebuild and return them but nothing has been done or heard from the government, despite frantic efforts by the community leaders especially the late traditional ruler for the government to provide security for the people to return.

Mr. Jambol explained that because of the eagerness of their people to return home, the community in collaboration with a Non-Governmental Organization, known as NINCHI Group Community Housing, sponsored by World Bank Assisted Community Social Development Project and Plateau Community and Social Development Agency, built four blocks of houses for the people to return and stay there temporary, before building their houses.

He also said the community has equally donated land for the government to build a Police station for the security of the people, yet the government has not indicated any physical readiness to safeguard the lives of the people if they return.

“We are not even begging the government to rebuild our houses, since they have failed in their promise. What we are asking of is for them to ensure our security and we would come back and build our destroyed homes”

“We are also appealing that steps be taken ito broker a peace agreement between the neighboring communities. That the road from Tahoss which terminates in Shonong be completed, as it will further increase the sense of security and a project that will have a positive multiplier effect on the communities along its way”.

Corroborating the position of the SDA President, former Surveyor General of Plateau State who is a native of the community, Surveyor Martins Gang, said historically the community is the first settlement of the Berom natives on the Plateau before they dispatched to other communities.

He said the peace loving farmers who showed hospitality to their Fulani visitors when they came, have now become vulnerable to attacks by their visitors the Fulani’s.

The former Surveyor General appealed to government at all levels to accord priority to the security of their citizens and match words with actions and do the needful to fulfil their promise of returning the displaced people to their various communities and guarantee their security.

Also speaking, the President of Berom Women Development Association BEWDA, Ngo Florence Jambol noted that the attacks on the Plateau has exposed some of the women who were mostly farmers into vices that are hitherto unknown to them to fend for the needs of their children.

She appealed to the government to act urgently as the vulnerable women and children have now become soft target for traffickers.

Responding to the cries of the people of Shonong Community, Transition Committee Chairman of Riyom LGA, Mafeng Gwalson explained that the situation of the attacked communities is pathetic and the government is concerned on their plight, noting that the government is in talks with the people that matter to ensure the return of the displaced people to their ancestral homes.

He appealed to the people of Shonong to be patience as there is a long-term plan, not only for their return but also to curtail reoccurrence of the ugly situation as he prayed God never to hear gun sounds in any part of the community, LGA and state at large.

Our correspondent observed that at present, Shonong community, like many other attacked communities on the Plateau is in ruins, as the natives have been displaced and can only return home to bury their loved ones under tight security cover and go back to either IDPs Camp or to their relations in Jos.

It also observed that the attackers vandalized, not only the natives houses but also government facilities like clinics, schools and Churches among others.