|
The Challenges Of Leadership In Taraba State-100 Days After, What Hope For People In The State? By Lawrence P. Ganchok There has been so much excitement and frenzy generated by a new phenomenon creeping into the Nigerian political lexicon called the 100 days in office by political office holders. This 100 days in office seems to become a yardstick for measuring performance or lack of it by political office holders particularly the office of the president and the state chief executives. I am yet to hear of any office beyond these two that have celebrated 100 days in office. Sometimes hundreds of millions of tax payers’ naira is spent to commemorate this day which to me is considered of little or no significance and also by many. After this celebration, no one hears of it again until the end of the leader’s tenure. If 100 days is a yardstick for measuring progress or lack of it for political office holders, what parameters were used in adopting the 100 days? Why is there no assessment for 200 and 300 days in office respectively to progressively keep track of the officers’ performance? Or better still, why not quarterly rating so that the political office holder is assessed four times each year? What happens if the person so assessed to have ‘performed’ well just 100 days in office passes into oblivion and the old system we all know comes back? In any case, this phenomenon seems to have come to stay and somehow we have to consciously or otherwise pass judgment on the sitting governor or president as to how he faired in the 100 days after oath of office. True to our inherited mentality of praise-singing, the out pouring of congratulatory messages and outright sycophancy have been glaring as some people over-state achievements in 100 days. Also, given our penchant for love of praises even when we know we have done little or nothing to warrant such, makes many leaders get carried away believing they are living up to the peoples’ expectations. Under this circumstance only a leader with the fear of God and love for his people will see through the forays of praises and remain focused in what he has to offer the people. This brings me to my main concern-The Challenges of Leadership in Taraba State-100 Days After-What Hope for the People in the State? This topic can be looked at from three perspectives: Taraba Yesterday, Taraba Today and Taraba Tomorrow. TARABA YESTERDAY So much have been written about Taraba from its creation to date, however, I will make reference to some newspaper publications to illustrate what Taraba was in the eyes of many who saw it in their own ways. Many who are key players in the state’s affairs will always say everything is going on well (not because they genuinely believe that all is well but as long as the system favours them). Other will not simply say anything because they are docile in nature and believe hold the view that, that is how government work runs. Some others will simply not rock the boat even if the greatest of atrocities is being committed within their purview. However, some of us who are (and genuinely too) stakeholders in the affairs of Taraba State, we must show more than a passing interest in how the state’s affairs is run. Just as we share in the pains of the loss of a crucial international football game; we are driven by the passion of being indigenes of God’s most endowed state in Nigeria and so have a right to speak out. By speaking out we provide alternative reason to not so popular decisions, to ensure that the affairs of the state are run in a way that is pleasing to the majority. In the words of Mr. Rikwen A. Kwatiri, Hamaruwa Way, Jalingo outlined in the two paragraphs below (in his article titled Taraba: Lame duck at 15) published in the Daily Trust of Tuesday 22 August 2006, he stated thus: “Taraba State will be exactly fifteen years old on August 27th (2006). Ordinarily, it calls for celebration but alas, 15 years after its creation; it still remains a lame duck that cannot walk on its feet! There is virtually no single functional infrastructure in the entire state despite the generosity of the monthly federal allocation to the state. On a few counts, we have no roads, no potable water, no functional hospital and clinics and worst of all; the vibrancy of our people in agricultural activities is slowly and painfully being killed by our leaders in government (emphasis mine for a reason). Have we taken the path of actualizing our aspirations, ambitions and hopes for a better life as government was brought closer to the people 15 years ago? Is it worth celebrating? Out of our 15 years of statehood, nine were dominated by the one and only civilian governor ever produced in the state, Reverend Jolly Nyame while the other six years witnessed four different military administrations. An attempt was made by the regime of Navy Captain Ambrose Afolahan and Col. A. A. Awoniyi to find a direction to the path of development, but the state was short-changed by time as these two military officers could not stay long to put the state on an unshakable path of development. However, despite their short stay, they constructed official and residential quarters, which are up to date housing the state workforce. Our nine years of democratic experience can be likened to a stillborn child. We voted for our own people to represent and protect our interests, but we were paid back with poverty, hunger and ill-health. Our democratic years were a complete waste. Administration was left in the hands of juveniles who mortgaged our future and that of our grandchildren to bank loans and overdrafts. It is only in Taraba State that 15 years after its creation, young men who served and those still serving in the Nyame administration are far richer than the state government. They can boast of big and well-furnished mansions which are by far better than the government house. Their fleets of flashy cars are no match for government vehicles and most often compete with the governor’s official cars.” In that article Mr. Kwatiri went ahead to solicit for the election of Alhaji Gidado Tahir whom he and many others considered was one of the foundation staff of the state, detribalized and effectively contributed to stopping the Kuteb/Jukuns/Tiv carnage by enlisting the support of elders in the state. The present Governor was not even a contestant then in the race to the government house. In another online article by Ahmad Tafida Jalingo, (www.gamji.com/article4000/NEWS4717.htm) probably in 2005, he wrote this of our dear Taraba state then: “…that old quietness was not without price to the indigenes and residents of this state of the reverend governor. The state that is called (Natures gift to the nation) has always been without electricity both day and night, in even the headquarters, no pipe borne water for both animals and humans, (emphasis mine also) the gentle souls that are disadvantaged to be residents, indigenes or posted there on national assignments, are bedeviled by a high spate of state sponsored insecurity.” He continues, “Taraba was in the 1st dispensation (1999 - 2003) governed in a typical military junta style, by a section of the state executive, who walk the streets in the Italian mafia Dons manners, favor those who they so see in their myopic views as supporters of his Excellency, casting those who earn their wrath in the crudest of forms, most of the times so much so petty that even distant uncles of critics are not spared, any time a citizen voices out any thing contrary to the whims of the ruling Mafioso his far away uncle may end up being dismissed from work, denied fertilizer or have some nieces sent home from school. My state is still in its medieval era, our renaissance has just began with the self admonition of the reverend in his rare sober moments to start rejuvenating our situations as we still use colonial edifices, and/or buildings borrowed from local governments, with some rented property to run the state machinery 14years after the creation of the state. Most of our state ministries are always mistaken for some abandoned property after working hours, the whole situation is sickening. Government machinery seizes to function anytime the kitchen cabinet is out of town, general service spirit has declined, the smallest of office and official duties are politicized, and cash and carry and one has to ‘belong’ to be admitted and or participate in day-to-day activities of governance. In a state where security dispensation of the man of God most of the times tows the ways of the devil, a state where its people, critics and opponents are silenced systematically, by vindictive de-employment of their relatives in government offices, permanently blocking from a far by use of crude and primitive ways and means, in most cases hoodlums are unleashed on any one that thinks otherwise. As a result of which today all opponents and opposition groups operate from Abuja, Lagos and Kaduna (for which they are called names). Mr. Tafida was of the view that all Taraba people in Diaspora should make a proposal and submit to the Turaki of Adamawa and enlist his support to effect change in leadership in Taraba as it was in Gombe. Let me add that what was a frightening dimension to the whole political episode in Taraba state was the notoriety of serious criminal dimension to the resolution of political conflicts. Taraba state is a serene state with so much abundance of natural endowments in material quantity and aesthetics but highly impoverished people due largely to successive bad governance had witnessed high profile killings either to cover up sordid financial scams or were politically motivated. Just like it was at the national level, high profile politically motivated killings reared its head into this state with the cases still unresolved. This was the level to which our dear Taraba state descended to-an unheard of situation in this part of the country. In my own assessment of the situation last year, just few days to the celebration of the Taraba State’s 15th Anniversary I also gave my views about the situation in Taraba as stated in the few paragraphs below (http://www.amanaonline.com/Articles/art_2191.htm): “The final verdict in Taraba State is that the Government has failed the people; the State Legislators have acquiesced and failed to provide the desired checks and balances as expected of them on the executive. The few technocrats (if any) have disappointed the people, betrayed and compromised their professional integrities. The opinion leaders and elders of the state are all as guilty as those in government because they have looked the other way when the state is being raped. The youths have unfortunately aligned behind these leaders with inordinate ambition to loot and divert the state funds into private use. The teaming masses are pauperized, confused and helpless. It is the responsibility of the opinion leaders and our royal fathers to come together and chart the way forward for the indigenes through organized meetings as is done in Arewa Consultative Forum, the Arewa Union and others. Like Kwatiri and Ahmad Tafida who made reference to the elders and opinion leaders of the state and elsewhere to intervene, I asked then “Where are Gen. T. Y. Danjuma (Rtd), Ibrahim Kefas, Amb. Idris Waziri, Amb. Suleiman Zubairu, Alh. Uba Maigari, Alh. Saidu M. Nguroje (of blessed memory now), Amb. Emmanuel Njiwa, Alh. Ibrahim Siddique Kabri, Alh. Musa Karamti, Prof. Iya Abubakar and other prominent leaders in the state who ought to speak out? Where are our Traditional Rulers? Where are the Federal Law makers? We all move round this country and see what states younger than Taraba have achieved in seven years of democratic regime. Why is no one raising a voice in Taraba State or is everything going on well in Taraba State?” I still hold this view till date. As an ardent reader of the Nigerian Newspapers Online and naturally anything featuring Taraba State always catches my interest. The Leadership Newspaper provided frequent articles on Taraba State and this brought me to know (not one-on-one) one writer called Awwal Ahmed Munga of Kanta Road, Kaduna who seemed to contribute fairly frequently to the paper on matters concerning Taraba state. This writer one day came up with one of his articles titled “The journey of transformation in Taraba State” which appeared in the Leadership Newspaper of 4th July 2006. Awwal Ahmed Munga this time deliberately came out to misinform the Nigerian public I guessed, through shear mischief and outright deceit by exaggerating the achievements of the government then. Except if Mr. Awwal Ahmed Munga wrote figuratively, I cannot fathom the reason behind this misleading article and clear falsehood he presented when he wrote in the Leadership Newspaper - “…..To that, the exotic and exciting scenery and atmosphere of the Mambila Plateau is being turned into a marvelous tourist’s destination;” (maybe nothing compared to Obudu Cattle ranch) and also went ahead to say “The scarcity of potable water made the people of Taraba State suffer specially before the second coming of Rev. Nyame is now history as the residents of Jalingo and other main towns enjoy constant supply of portable water and this, of course, covers the strategic Mile six and College of Education sections of Jalingo town” (compare this with Kwatiri and Tafida’s assertions earlier highlighted) Thank God for the availability of GSM. I was surprised if I had really gone round Jalingo town well enough to fairly assess the administration then. I placed a call immediately to a cousin in the College of Education Jalingo and congratulated him for the provision of pipe-borne water in their community by the government after having suffered with him few months back to get water for the family. My cousin first laughed before asking me if I saw signs of water works when I last visited 2 months ago. Mr. Munga also wrote in the same article; “Coming to educational sector, Governor Nyame has gone far on the places of floating a state university, for Taraba. He also uplifted the existing tertiary institutions just as he has modernized in many ways primary and secondary schools. Exactly 24 days to the celebration of the state’s 15th anniversary, (Thursday 3rd August 2006), NTA came up with their Network News in which Samuel Orbunde (NTA correspondent in the area) featured Taraba State Polytechnic, which according to the reporter was established 13 years ago and most (or was it all) of the courses have not been accredited by the NBTE. The forum was a meeting by the Academic Staff Union of the State Polytechnic calling on the state government to intervene. I need not expatiate much on this because it was an NTA News item and I am sure at least 30 million Nigerians watched this and saw the picture of the Taraba State Polytechnic Buildings indicating how the existing tertiary institutions had been “uplifted by the state government.” I want to commend the NTA and her reporter, Mr. Samuel Orbunde for airing that news item and wish to request for more of such to cover the Colleges of Agriculture and Education which by all standards, are glorified secondary schools in appearance. When Hon. Abu Ajiya, a virile and dynamic young man with principled ideology was appointed Commissioner for Education some of us pleaded with him to focus on working on the public image of the three state colleges to give them a semblance of tertiary institutions. This was just a wishful request since the powers to do what and where were in the hands of one all-knowing man and Abu’s tenure was so short to make any meaningful impact. Mr. Munga also had claims of achievements in the tourism sector which he averred that the “exotic and exciting scenery that is being turned into a marvelous tourist destination on the Mambilla Plateau by the administration in Taraba State (I guessed imaginarily). For anybody who had never been to the place he would believe that something serious was being done by the administration then with regard to setting an agenda for the development of the scenic beauty of the God given endowments by provision of say at worst a recreational centre and a guest rest house to keep the ‘teaming tourist and investors’ probably only known to Mr. Munga. It will do Awwal Ahmed Munga well to name the project of Tourist significance that was executed by Jolly Nyame on the Mambilla Plateau by the state government when Obudu that is only a tapering end of the expansive Mambilla plateau is on the CNN as a result of focused and responsive leadership in Cross River State then. If Jolly had done half of what Donald Duke did, probably Mr. Munga would have told the world that Jolly was God. I started wondering how a Taraba man staying in Kanta Road Kaduna, could have the temerity to write with so much confidence about what he knew so little about except of course like a peak cock he was only displaying his colours for recognition. I wondered when last he had been to Jalingo (much less Mambila Plateau-a minimum of 6hrs drive from Jalingo). It is only in the eyes of people like Munga that the administration’s achievement in Jalingo (and maybe other places in the state) in the last seven years will “stare him in his face.”
I am aware that there were projects on the ground in Jalingo (completed or not) such as the hospital, the stadium, the ultra modern market, the airport and the 1000 housing units by the Jolly administration. These are wonderful projects more especially the hospital, the housing units and probably the market. However, I feel these were individual initiatives based on criteria only known to those involved. If there were a functional and participatory State Executive Council where matters and projects concerning the state, ministries and parastatals were exhaustively discussed, these projects would have been somehow spread in the Senatorial Zones of the state. These five projects were estimated close to about N15b in amount and are all concentrated in one Senatorial zone. We had State House of Assembly Members who did not feel the need to tell the Executive arm of Government that there was a need to at least spread the project to cover other Zones and Districts. What investments had been made in the other zones equal to at least ¼ of this? Did we really need an airport in Jalingo when the Yola airport is 2 just hours drive away? Is it the poor masses who cannot afford to meet their basic needs of life that will travel by air from Jalingo? What business concerns are of significance in Jalingo that will warrant direct flight? wouldn’t it have been wise to construct this airport on the Mambilla Plateau for the tourists or do they have to drive for 7-8 hours from Jalingo airport to enjoys the scenic beauty of the Plateau and other “tourist destinations.’ And by the way did we not read in the Daily Trust of 31st July 2006 that the two state-owned aircrafts had been grounded (according to their reporter Mr. Fidelis Mac Leva-quoting the information Commissioner Kabiru Jalo then?) and needed N94m to be air worthy again when the citizens had not been told how much it was bought for and how much it had so far generated as revenue to the state account before being grounded?
I have taken time to give these vivid explanations about the peoples’ perception of what they think of their state, our state Taraba. If we must find the solution to the problems of the state, we must own up and say the truth the way it is, no matter whose ox is gored. Painful as the dressing of a wound is, it has to be done before medication is applied and healing achieved. It is not in the public interest to praise-sing to achieve personal gains at the detriment of the larger public. In the words of one of my revered columnist Ujudud Shariff who said and I quote, ‘it has never been in my character to give offence…and I will always try to avoid abusive language in my article’; I will also try to uphold these virtues but sometimes out of annoyance for what is happening in Taraba State one will be tempted to say uncomplimentary things. When falsehood is elevated and placed above sacrosanct truth, we must speak to defend the truth at all times because the truth never changes no matter the time length it is suppressed. This has become more compelling now when we have an air of political simplicity as exemplified by Umar Musa Yar’adua and the new Administration in Taraba state. A certain classes of people belong to the Obasanjo/Nyame brand of politicians, loyalist and writers. Though they have found themselves in the present dispensation as a result of the process that brought them in, they should seek repentance from God and do the right thing so that they do not corrupt our ‘new system.’
TARABA TODAY Today, as noted earlier a new and fresh air seems to blow across Taraba state and we all hope it is for good. This must be encouraged, sustained and jealously guided (with due respect to any court decisions regarding electoral matters, if any) lest it slip into the vicious cycle of un-organized leadership as we witnessed in the last eight years. The message we read and receive from Jalingo seems to give us hope that the state seems to have a ‘servant leader’ in the words of Umar Musa Yar’adua in Governor Danbaba -a 180o out of phase departure from what we used to hear for 8 years in Taraba State. Primarily, history has been fair to Danbaba Danfulani Suntai because some of us in Diaspora rely on peoples’ testimonies about the Governor’s humble and humane disposition in life. Few things the new Governor has done that seem to make some of us believe he is on the right path are the observations listed below: Dr. Zaku is a household name in Taraba state and when the new Governor appointed him as the Secretary to the State Government, the people I know who are in no way related to Dr. Zaku praised the Governor for that appointment. If those who know Dr. Zaku well could praise the governor for Zaku’s appointment, then that must based on be merit. The next deft move which came as a huge surprise to me and others was the appointment of Barrister Elijah Nyaro as the Attorney-General and Honourable Commissioner for Justice. I know Barr. Elijah very well as a school mate and a fellow Kaka man like me; a humble, soft-spoken, God-fearing and humane personality. Despite this, the thought of him or any Kaka man being made a commissioner never came into my mind and many others because of certain forces that seemed to have established an imaginary standing rule that no Kaka man could become a Local Government Chairman let alone a Commissioner in Taraba state. If out of the blues Barr. Elijah was nominated and confirmed a Hon. Commissioner against the established tides; it must have been strictly based on merit because I have never known Barr. Elijah to be a very active politician to warrant being compensated for his role in Danbaba Suntai emergence as governor. Because of this singular act Pharm. Danbaba Danfulani Suntai has earned my respect for making history in Taraba State by appointing a Kaka man as a Commissioner which came through his commitment to professionalism. Let me quickly add here that I would not have felt otherwise if there was a better person than Barr. Elijah. Barr. Elijah knows that he needs the fear of God to succeed and the Kaka people will not accept half measures in the discharge of his official functions based on the honour done to him and the entire Kaka nation. Barr. Elijah should also know that he is not now a Kaka Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice but for Taraba State. I will encourage every other head of boards and parastatals to emulate this unbiased assessment and appointment in their organizations and see how we can collectively change the fortunes of the state within a short period of time. We have also watched the new Governor pay high profile visits to key top government functionaries in the country both serving and retired like the Senate President, Gen Ibrahim Babangida (Rtd), Universal Basic Education Commission, the British High Commission in Abuja and others. This to me speaks volumes of Suntai’s humble nature and a good public relation strategist in winning the confidence of the top leaders on matters concerning Taraba state. In one of my visits to the state some weeks ago, I listened to a group of top state government officers discussing how some of Suntai’s kitchen cabinet members were locked out for coming late to the State EXCO meeting. This is a positive sign from the state that never had any EXCO meetings until EFCC visited. The mere fact that there is a state EXCO meeting is a great improvement from what we had known in the past. The governor has also responded well to the needs of the people by motivating the police force in an encouraging way (I do sincerely hope it was not because his wife was attacked by robbers), but that more ways of showing love and concern to the various facets of problems bedeviling the communities, agencies and the state will always be his priority and concern. Another pointer to his independent mindedness was alluded to by The Taraba State Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Rebo Usman, in an interview with Celestine Ihejirika, a journalist who said this of the new Governor; “…I know this Governor very well and he knows me. He is not somebody who is given to sycophancy. That is one thing I believe you journalists must know of him.” This was corroborated by the Governors Special Assistant on Media Matters Mr. Sylvanus Giwa is one of his press releases where he stated-‘Such is his abnegation for sniveling aides that he told us that he would rather we told him his faults pointblank, rather than wash him with praises. When you are with Suntai, he would rather that you "Say it the way it is" than go round the bend, circumnavigating, as it were, on an issue. He has no time to waste on sycophancy, idiocy and ethnicity. You are dead on arrival if your goal was to appeal to religious or tribal sentiment. Everyone, according to Suntai, has a merit and must be dealt with, first as a Tarabian, before any other considerations. We can go to Suntai and he will see us as human beings and not Christians or Muslims. This is the path Suntai has chosen. His commissioners consist of intelligent professionals who like himself, are bothered about enhancing their own skills.’ What is more pleasing to hear of Taraba now (hope it continues this way through). This last statement by Giwa lays credence to my earlier observation that most of Danbaba Suntai’s appointments were strictly based on merit. The areas I regurgitated, chewed and re-chewed and still found hard to swallow were matters and figures that are already in the public domain when Giwa said “The chief of staff is the indefatigable Hon. Danladi Baido, a young man who has distinguished himself in service to the fatherland. One of his current assignments is to bring Egyptian experts to the state to revamp the multi-billion hospital. I just hope I read and understood this right. I have also read few dailies stating that Mr. Awwal Ahmed Munga (maybe the same of Kanta Road Kaduna) is now the Director of Press Affairs to the Governor. Sylvanus Giwa also said “Jalingo, the state capital, is receiving the finest face lift in recent times. Taraba Road Maintenance Agency (TARMA) is headed by a professional, Engineer Daniel B. Elisha. It will be his lot to revamp the deplorable township roads and to bring some sanity into Jalingo metropolis. The good engineer has been given the mandate to ensure that the capital town conforms to all the big cities of the nation, and indeed, the continent.” I do sincerely hope Mr. Awwal Ahmed Munga (if the same of Kanta Rd) whom I understand is the Director of Press Affairs to His Excellency will come to terms with Sylvanus Giwa’s insinuations here. If it is true that the Governor will prefer hearing the truth and not half lies and sycophancy he should understand that he is carrying excess luggage that are moral burdens and image liabilities to his administration. However, considering the circumstances that threw up most of the present office holders to power, it will be unfortunate if the Governor does not have a mind of his own to apply wisdom in what he has to do in a state infested by people used to a particular system of governance for 8 years.
TARABA TOMORROW Every society wants good leadership; the kind of leadership that is visionary, sensitive, receptive, progressive, accountable and geared towards the common good of all. Comparatively, we are beginning to see a leadership style that is heading towards these qualities. Our opinion leaders and all stakeholders in the Taraba Project must show more than a passing glance at what is happening in the state. To start with, there are four main reasons why anything can happen in Taraba and the people are not bothered. (1) Lack of a well defined policy for stimulating growth and development in the state. (2) Lack of interest by the elders and opinion leaders of the state on how the affairs of the state is run. (3) The total collapse of the educational system in the state such that the basic educational awareness needed to fight injustice in the society is completely absent in the majority of the people. (4) Failure to admonish that the state is wholly agrarian and tailor government policies towards uplifting their basic means of living. As stated in my earlier write-up in 2006, the problems of the development of Taraba State transcend religious, tribal or sectional boundaries. It is not a question of whether you are from the Northern, Central or Southern Senatorial Region. It is not a problem of whether you are a Muslem, Christian or Traditional religion (Pagan). It is not also whether you are Kaka, Mambilla, Jukun, Kuteb, Mumuye, Fulani or one of the least populated tribes in the state. The most urgent need in Taraba is nothing but a leader with vision and a mission to redefine the socio-economic and cultural orientation of the state and its people. Taraba is a State that is second to non in Nigeria in terms of natural endowments and tourism potentials. We need to find a leader that will pull these resources together for the benefit of the people and Nigerians at large. It is our collective responsibility to do so. If the testimonies by the Finance Commissioner and the Senior Special Assistant on Media Matters hold true Let’s know that we at least for now have a leader who will look beyond the yoke of being a Christian or Moslem or from whatever tribe or region and face the challenges of bringing out the beauty and the glory of Taraba State to the outside world through a proactive and pragmatic approach to its development. We now have a leader that will uplift the standard of education in Taraba State as a foremost citadel of learning. We also have a leader who will look at the Mambilla Plateau and say, ‘I know coffee and tea grow well here’ and put machinery in motion to encourage coffee/tea production for local consumption and export. If Uganda makes over 90% of its foreign exchange earnings on coffee alone, Taraba has the wherewithal to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s foreign earnings through coffee and Tea. Danbaba should know that we need a leader who will reach out to Uganda, Kenya, Ceylon (India), Brazil and other leading producers of coffee/tea for collaborative joint venture to develop and expand the markets in this area. We need a leader who will reach out to Switzerland, Holland and other countries advanced in yoghurt and powdered milk production and tell them we have the cows and willing to adopt modern farming techniques and provide the enabling environment to allow them come and invest in this area on the Mambilla Plateau. We need a leader who will say we need to develop the tourism potentials of the Mambilla Plateau, the Baissa Timber Industry, the Lau tomato Industry and many others spread in the state. Taraba State has no business to rely solely on Federal Allocation to provide first class services to her people because God gave Taraba state everything she asked for. Why then are we called Nature’s Gift to the Nation? If Obudu in Cross River State, a tapering end of the Mambilla Plateau is a place of international tourist attraction with a five-star hotel and attracts international marathon retreats and other events, why not Mambilla Plateau itself the pearl of Nigeria? The Governor should know that we need a leader who will say we need a scientifically improved method of mining and processing the huge salt deposits in Wukari, the lead-zinc in Zurak, the barite and lead-zinc deposits in Karim Lamido and Ibbi, and a host of other minerals that abound in the state. I speak without fear of contradiction that Taraba’s endowment in the solid mineral sub-sector is enormous. The Governor only has to pull the right strings and we will be there. We need leader that will encourage the production of cassava in these areas knowing fully well the current global demand for this product in the world market-particularly in China. We need someone who will encourage local production of tomatoes and re-open the Lau Tomato industry. We need a leader who will look beyond the few things mentioned here and harness the state’s human, material and natural resources with a view to setting it on a sound economic growth. When all these are done even if taken one at a time, Taraba will have no business with un-employment. It will naturally attract skilled and unskilled labour to the state’s huge advantage. All these will need strategic planning as the state cannot just wake-up and do it. To achieve the desired result, let the state government organize stakeholders meeting in the various areas/units and come up with compendium of workable solutions to the state’s problem. Let the Governor not under estimate the intellectual treasure base of the state civil service and her professionals. Only Tarabian can find solutions to their problems if the enabling environment is provided for them to do so.
Lawrence P. Ganchok American University of Nigeria, Yola. |