Samuel Atukum
Encyclopedia
Rear Admiral Samuel Bitrus Atukum was the military governor of Plateau State
, Nigeria
from January 1984 to August 1985 during the military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari
.
In July 1984, while launching a state-wide tree-planting program, he noted that 70,000 hectares of valuable farmland had been lost to mining activities, and called for Federal assistance in conservation and reclamation of eroded land.
He sold off all Mercedes-Benz and Peugeot 505 official cars, replacing them with less pretentious Peugeot 504s, and also banned after-hours use of government cars.
In August 1985 he proposed that the unions should accept a 20% cut in the salary of state civil servants in view of the state's financial difficulties.
Atukum said politics "has adversely affected the lives of the citizens instead of being an instrument for institutional development".
He expressed concern over use of the terms "non-indigenes" and "indigenes", which he felt would cause disharmony among people in the state.
In 1985 he declared that anybody who harboured illegal immigrants after the 10 May departure deadline would be treated as a saboteur.
In December 1984 he launched a program to vaccinate all children against killer diseases, urging parents to take advantage.
He merged Plateau Television (PTV) and Plateau Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) into the Plateau Radio Television Corporation.
in 1995.
The company was privatized in 2001.
In February 2002 the company's only vessel, MV Abuja, was stuck in Sri Lanka needing repairs, while the shipyard was insisting on a down payment for the work and the crew's salaries were unpaid.
The ship was finally released in February 2003 after a bank guarantee of US$500,000 had been provided.
A few weeks later, NUL put the 10,000 deadweight container ship up for sale and plans to float the company on the stock market were dropped.
Plateau State
Plateau State is the twelfth largest state of Nigeria, and is roughly located in the center of the country. It is geographically unique in Nigeria because its boundaries totally surround the Jos Plateau, having the Jos Plateau totally in its central and northern part...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
from January 1984 to August 1985 during the military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
.
Plateau State Governor
As governor, Navy Captain Atukum had to handle many challenges with a severely limited budget. He reintroduced community and cattle tax.In July 1984, while launching a state-wide tree-planting program, he noted that 70,000 hectares of valuable farmland had been lost to mining activities, and called for Federal assistance in conservation and reclamation of eroded land.
He sold off all Mercedes-Benz and Peugeot 505 official cars, replacing them with less pretentious Peugeot 504s, and also banned after-hours use of government cars.
In August 1985 he proposed that the unions should accept a 20% cut in the salary of state civil servants in view of the state's financial difficulties.
Atukum said politics "has adversely affected the lives of the citizens instead of being an instrument for institutional development".
He expressed concern over use of the terms "non-indigenes" and "indigenes", which he felt would cause disharmony among people in the state.
In 1985 he declared that anybody who harboured illegal immigrants after the 10 May departure deadline would be treated as a saboteur.
In December 1984 he launched a program to vaccinate all children against killer diseases, urging parents to take advantage.
He merged Plateau Television (PTV) and Plateau Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) into the Plateau Radio Television Corporation.
Later career
After retirement, Atukum was appointed the chief executive of the Nigerian Unity Line (NUL), a new state-owned company established after the liquidation of the Nigerian National Shipping LineNigerian National Shipping Line
The Nigerian National Shipping Line was established by the Nigerian government in 1959.Despite heavy investment and subsidies, the state-owned company was unable to compete with European lines....
in 1995.
The company was privatized in 2001.
In February 2002 the company's only vessel, MV Abuja, was stuck in Sri Lanka needing repairs, while the shipyard was insisting on a down payment for the work and the crew's salaries were unpaid.
The ship was finally released in February 2003 after a bank guarantee of US$500,000 had been provided.
A few weeks later, NUL put the 10,000 deadweight container ship up for sale and plans to float the company on the stock market were dropped.