Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has urged public servants to demonstrate gratitude to God through integrity, fairness and responsible service to the people.
He made the call on Sunday when he served as guest preacher at the Annual Thanksgiving and Appreciation Service organized by Mrs. Margaret Peter Gai, wife of the former Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Hon. Peter Nyam Gai, at COCIN Church, Kabong, Jos North Local Government Area.
Speaking from Psalm 136, the governor described thanksgiving as an expression of faith and a practical demonstration of confidence in God’s enduring mercy and faithfulness.
He said appreciation to God should go beyond words and be reflected in people’s conduct, particularly in the way public officials discharge their responsibilities.
“One thing we must do in appreciation to God is that when we appreciate God, it reflects in the way we live. It reflects in the way we conduct ourselves,” Mutfwang said.
The governor described Mrs. Gai’s recovery from illness as a testimony to God’s power to transform difficult circumstances, urging the congregation to recognize and appreciate the blessings they often take for granted.
He noted that testimonies could come in different forms, including healing, deliverance, provision, and restoration of families, stressing that “there’s nothing God cannot do.”
Mutfwang further encouraged the congregation to remain faithful and grateful, assuring them that God could take people “from glory to glory.”
“Today you may look small. Today you may look little. But as you walk with God, as you continue to appreciate what God has done and is doing, you are going to see an increase in your life,” he said.
The Governor also challenged public servants, particularly those in the Ministry of Lands and Survey, to ensure that government reforms translate into fairness, efficiency and justice for citizens.
He said his administration was focused on building sustainable institutions rather than personalities, stressing that public institutions must remain effective beyond the tenure of individual office holders.
“We are building systems. We are building institutions. We are not building theatres,” Mutfwang declared.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Peter Nyam Gai, expressed gratitude to God for his wife’s recovery and appreciated Governor Mutfwang for his support and confidence in the ministry.
Nyam Gai highlighted reforms implemented by the ministry, including the reduction of the processes for obtaining Certificates of Occupancy from six stages to three, which he said had improved service delivery.
He disclosed that the ministry had processed about 7,000 Certificates of Occupancy within three years of the Mutfwang administration, compared with about 3,000 processed previously.
According to him, the achievement was driven by the governor’s support and policy direction, adding that the ministry would continue to strengthen land administration, title registration and revenue generation.
He also highlighted the ministry’s mediation mechanism for resolving land disputes, saying it had enabled several citizens to obtain justice without resorting to prolonged litigation.
Nyam Gai said the thanksgiving service was particularly significant because of his wife’s recovery, noting that the occasion would have been different without what he described as God’s intervention.
The service was attended by government officials, church members, family members, friends and well-wishers, who joined the Gai family to celebrate Mrs. Margaret Peter Gai’s recovery and give thanks for God’s faithfulness.
