Ishaku, Peace and Development in Taraba
Garba Yusuf
AREWA AGENDA – For development to take place, peace is imperative. That explains why Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba state has never let go in ensuring peaceful co-existence among the state’s diverse ethnic group. Unlike his predecessors who were not keen on the issue of peace, the former minister of power has demonstrated passion in promoting peace across Taraba communities and ethnic groups. In the history of the state, Ishaku became the first governor to hold a peace meeting to find lasting peace and encourage tension-free existence amongst various ethnic groups. It is generally acknowledged that the Wukari peace served as a prologue signaling the end of ethnic violence in the state.
Assailed by rampaging herdsmen whose violence was ripping across the state, Governor Ishaku, with the with the patriotic zeal of the Taraba state House of Assembly, passed the Anti-Grazing Bill into law, thus placing a ban on open grazing by herders. With a enthusiasm never seen before, Ishaku engaged critical stakeholders in inter-communal dialogue for peace. With violence put at bay, the Taraba state governor commenced genuine efforts at attracting investors and pursuing programmes for development.
More than any other sector, Governor Ishaku has left his footprints on the sands of the education sector.
Since his government came into being, the state has recruited no fewer than 3,000 teachers and trained over 4,000 teachers in the state. The quality of teaching staff applauded when the state recorded an improvement of 65% by its students taking the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE). Reaching this commendable milestone was made possible by the provision of 9,898 classroom furniture and another 256 teachers’ furniture. Under the watch of Ishaku as the governor of the state, over 20 Professors were employed at the Taraba State University, just as additional faculties, including law and medical sciences, were created. The Taraba state government also facilitated the establishment of WAEC office in Jalingo providing furniture, including an official car, for the office.
To expedite minor repairs, the state government commenced issuance of cheques to selected secondary schools in the state to take care of minor repairs. The improvement of performance by students in SSCE was also made possible through periodic and regular supply of educational materials to all schools across the state.
Apart from education, the Ishaku government of Taraba state was engaged in the digitalization of programme of the broadcast media platform in order to meet up with the stipulated deadline to migrate from analogue to digital platform by June 2017 as directed by the federal government. Presently, the state has equipped Taraba Television (TTV) with state-of-the-art world class digital facilities. Procurement and installation of digital equipment have since commenced and work on the Taraba State Broadcasting Service (TSBS) transmission station along Mile Six. All these have greatly assisted to improve on information dissemination and create conducive environment in line with best global practice.
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Known for its many business firms that are experiencing the worst of times in terms of production, the state government has revived moribund industries that include Mambilla Highland Tea Factory, Taraba Poly Products Company, Taraba Oil Mill; Baisa Timber Company, Viva Feed Mill Zing and Cassava Processing Company, among others.
Considering the critical role of agriculture in the state, Governor Ishaku has worked tirelessly to turn the fortunes of the sector in order to empower farmers for increased revenue for both the state and farmers. To demonstrate commitment to the agriculture sector, the state established a world class green house to ensure farming of vegetables and other fruits to be exported to many major cities in the country and to also serve as a training and excursion site for students of modern agriculture.
Furthermore, the Ishaku government introduced a new technology into the state farming system when it established a 15-hectare commercial green house in Jalingo. Agricultural green house is defined as a technique of providing favorable environment conducive for particular plants to grow continuously within adverse climatic conditions but providing 10 to 12 times of normal yield.
The focus on agriculture, especially on dry season farming, has led to the empowerment of 1,500 rice farmers. Not only have farmers received sesame seeds, no fewer than 200 tractors have also been distributed to farmers for improved productivity. Apart from regular supplies of fertiliser to farmers, the government purchased 200 rice mills to be distributed to farmers in the state.
The governor has not only concentrated in opening up road infrastructure in the state, the aviation sector, especially the Jalingo Airport, has not been neglected. Besides upgrading the state airport, the resumption of commercial flights after 10 years was cheering news. It is to the credit of the state government that the runway shoulders of the airport have been rehabilitated, just as the runway has been expanded. Provision of luggage and walk through scanners have been put in place, including navigational and security equipment that facilitated the granting of permit by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to allow commercial flights into Jalingo.
The Taraba state government under Ishaku is famed for its commitment in prompt payment of salaries as at when due. Unlike in the past when public workers were owed salaries and pensions for many months, the present governor has lived up to his promise of constant salary and pension payment. Presently, Taraba state remains one of the few states in the country that is not owing salaries and pensions to workers and retirees. In achieving this feat, the state government has weeded out the incidence of ghost workers.
Before the emergence of Ishaku as governor, millions of naira were lost to the ghost workers’ syndrome. For example, the Taraba State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) was discovered to be paying N52 million to ghost primary school teachers. In a sample of
1,560 civil servants, 520 were found to be ghost, including 10 who were dead.
There is no doubt that the development strides of Governor Ishaku is not only unprecedented but cover various human endeavours. Thus, it is incontrovertible that considering Governor Ishaku’s performance profile in Taraba State Government House, the state is in safe hands and poised for a better deal in the future.
Yusuf writes from Jalingo, Taraba state
