Gov. Kefas Embarks on Statewide Listening Tour in Taraba Monday

 

By Godwin Agia, Jalingo 

Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, has announced the commencement of a statewide listening tour to engage directly with communities and identify their development priorities. 

Dr Agbu Kefas disclosed this to journalists at the government house Exco chamber on Sunday, said that the tour aims to ensure that the government's infrastructure projects meet the needs and aspirations of the people.

He explained that the initiative is part of a broader effort to promote transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness in governance.

According to him, the tour will enable the government to identify the specific infrastructure needs of each community. 

"We want to hear from the people themselves about their needs and priorities, this will ensure that our infrastructure projects are targeted and effective."

"The listening tour will cover all local government areas in the state, providing an opportunity for communities to share their concerns and suggestions with the government. The government hopes to use the feedback to inform its development priorities and ensure that infrastructure projects meet the needs of the people," he said.

He also emphasized security as a "non-negotiable foundation" for sustainable development. 

"We have invested heavily in keeping Taraba safe for residents and investors, this is essential for attracting investment and promoting economic growth."

The governor also mentioned reforms in the health sector, including the revival of primary healthcare centers and procurement of new medical equipment and drugs where A CT scanning machine is expected to be installed at the State Specialist Hospital in Jalingo.

NEGF Raises Alarm Over Rising Farm Input Prices, Flooding in North-East

 

By Godwin Agia, Jalingo 

The North-East Governors' Forum (NEGF) has on Saturday expressed deep concern over the increasing prices of farm inputs and the looming threat of flooding in the subregion.

This was contained in a communique read by the governor of Yobe State, Dr Umala Buni for their 12th meeting in Jalingo.

The NEGF has also raised concerns about the impending flood disaster in the subregion and called for proactive measures to address the flood threat and robust sensitisation of settlers along flood plains. 

They requested support from the Federal Government and the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) to reconstruct damaged infrastructure.

According to the communique, "Forum acknowledges the appreciable success recorded in the onslaught against the insurgency in the North-East but regrets that the subregion is still confronted by daunting humanitarian and infrastructural challenges.

"Forum took into cognisance the forecast of the credible agencies on climate risk and the impending flood disaster in the subregion. It therefore calls for proactive measures in confronting the flood and robust sensitisation of settlers along the flood plains. It also called for support from the Federal Government and NEDC to reconstruct the broken infrastructure, especially bridges, damaged by the flood.

"Forum decries the high cost of Agricultural inputs, which might have direct negative consequences on farm outputs next year. To avert impending food crises, he calls for more subsidies to farmers and robust preparation for dry-season farming.

"Forum agrees to hold the North East Trade fair in partnership with NECCIMA, in Maiduguri, Borno state, December, 2025.

"While building on the early commitment of exploring solar options as a low-hanging fruit, Forum recommits to subduing energy poverty by tasking the Committee on Power and Energy in the subregion to come up with an integrated subregional power Masterplan. 

"Forum congratulates the University of Maiduguri, which is a legacy University in the subregion, for its golden jubilee. It also expresses its willingness to support the 50th anniversary celebration and the re-launch of the University Endowment Fund coming up in November, 2025

"The next meeting is to be held in Maiduguri between 12th and 14th December, 2025," the communique read.

WREP Advocates Citizens for Better Local Governance in Taraba

 

By Godwin Agia, Jalingo 

The Women's Rights to Education Programme (WREP) has on Thursday called for strengthened local governance in Taraba State to promote accountability and service delivery. 

Speaking on behalf of the Executive Director of WREP, the Programme Manager, Mr Henry Akya, made the disclosure during a one-day Inception Workshop organised by the WREP in collaboration with the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Jalingo to discuss local governance challenges and accountability.

Henry Akya explained that the workshop aimed at introducing the project to critical stakeholders and to get their buy-in. 

He added that the 8-month project titled "Strengthening Local Governance Accountability and Service Delivery in Taraba State" is aimed at addressing critical governance challenges and empowering citizens to actively participate in democratic processes. 

According to him, nine civil society organisations would be trained on budget tracking, accountability, and advocacy, which will enable them to demand government accountability and transparency.

Participants at the workshop highlighted local governance challenges and accountability issues in Taraba State, while Mr. Akya noted that WREP has implemented projects that have yielded fruitful results, including appointments and employment of many females in the state. 

Henry emphasised WREP's focus on grassroots development and its commitment to working with the Taraba State government to close gaps in local governance and accountability.

"We have implemented projects that yielded fruitful results, including appointments and employment of many females. We will be working hand in hand with the Taraba State government to close the gap in local governance and accountability in the state," he said.

The Chairman of Ardo-Kola Local Government, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Kini Nomiri, praised WREP for organising the programme to bring enlightenment on the policies of governance at the grassroots.

He further appreciated the efforts of WREP in shaping the understanding of local governance activities among the people and pledged to share the knowledge gained with the grassroots.

Correspondent reports that the workshop was part of WREP's effort in promoting inclusive governance and empowering citizens to demand accountability from their leaders.

Partners unite to strengthen community health frameworks in Taraba

 ‎

By Godwin Agia, Jalingo 

‎The Global Fund (GF), National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme (NTBLCP), Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH), and ATM Networks have jointly organized a two-day workshop to disseminate Nigeria’s validated Community Systems Strengthening (CSS) and Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) frameworks in Taraba State. 

The workshop took place from 14th to 15th August 2025 at the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Hall, Jalingo the State capital.

‎The event brought together state partners in HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria control, the Human Rights Commission, community-based organizations (CBOs), traditional leadership, and networks working across the three disease areas.

‎The approved frameworks provide a roadmap for integrating HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria interventions at the community level, enhancing community systems through inclusion in the Government’s Health Management Information System (MIS), and advocating dedicated budgetary allocation for the community system. 

‎Stakeholders praised the frameworks for its potential to strengthen community health efforts, harmonizing data across the three disease networks, and reduce implementation costs through service integration.

‎Both state actors and community systems pledged to establish CLM teams and grievance redress mechanisms across all wards in the state, advocate for the inclusion of CLM-generated data in the state MIS and push for the creation of a dedicated state budget line to support community health systems.

Speaking during the workshop, Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Nuhu Tukura, appreciated the organizers of the meeting and other partners. 

He noted that healthcare is not the sole responsibility of government and urged community members to play an active role in protecting children’s health.

‎Other participants commended the active involvement of government structures in the meeting, describing the initiative as a key step toward achieving Nigeria’s national health objectives in Taraba State.

Taraba Adviser Accuses Principals of Sabotaging Free Education Policy.

 

By Thomas Samuel 

    Adviser to Governor Agbu Kefas on Conservation, Muhammad Bello Zing, has alleged that principals of secondary schools are sabotaging the free education policy of Governor Agbu Kefas.

    In a chat with our reporter, the adviser said the principals are not happy with the free education policy because they no longer have access to the tuition students were paying in the past.

     The adviser further alleged that writing materials, including books, pens, and mathematical sets, were provided and given to principals for onward distribution, but they instead diverted the items.

     Muhammad Bello Zing also alleged that even the packs that WAEC gives to students, the principals still demand that students pay a certain amount of money before they will be given to them, even after the government has already registered the candidates.

"I have kids in school. They came back home, preparatory to this year's WAEC, saying their school is asking them to pay for mathematical sets and exam cards. I asked, why should you pay for these items when they are the packs that WAEC gives to students when they register? This is how these principals are sabotaging the efforts of government," he added.

     On the controversy over the governor's foreign trips, he said the governor’s foreign trips are yielding tangible results. Muhammad Bello said the governor’s wide consultations with global leaders gave birth to the procurement of modern tractors and fertilizers, which have been distributed to farmers in the state.

     He said the initiative, which seeks to boost farm yields and, in turn, create job opportunities for young people, has so far been successful.

      The adviser, however, lamented that some farmers sold the inputs the governor gave them, an act he described as a betrayal of trust capable of discrediting the efforts of Governor Agbu Kefas.

"The same people criticising the governor for not attracting foreign investors are not sincere themselves. How can you collect farm inputs only to sell to marketers a few minutes after receiving them? How do we grow with such an attitude?" the adviser queried.

     He called on Tarabans to be patient, as the results of the foreign trips would be felt in due time, adding that securing foreign investment is not rocket science—it takes time for such to be actualised.

      Muhammad Bello Zing said for development to thrive in Taraba, there is need for intentional collaboration between leaders and citizens in the areas of security, agriculture, and education.

NYSC Organizes Workshop to Strengthen Corps Employers in Taraba

By Godwin Agia, Jalingo 

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has on Thursday organised a workshop to strengthen partnerships between the scheme and corps members' employers in Taraba State.

The workshop, which took place at the Taraba Polytechnic in Jalingo, brings together stakeholders to discuss challenges and successes and aims to enhance the effectiveness of the scheme.

Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, emphasised the importance of collaboration between the scheme, corps members, and employers in achieving the scheme's objectives, noting that the workshop's key objectives include identifying areas for improvement, addressing challenges, and developing strategies for effective service delivery

Represented by the Deputy Director, North East Area Office II, Gabriel Watsu, has described the NYSC and Corps Employers' Workshop as a key event in nation building. 

"You must hammer out more effective formats of communication among our organisations and come up with implementable solutions to the numerous problems that challenge corps administration and proffer solutions.

"From addressing grey areas to enhancing healthy relationships between our various organisations, the workshops always produce ideas and recommendations that are factored into the operations of the Scheme.

"I am convinced that the 2025 workshop would not be any different," said the DG

Earlier, the Taraba State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr Ella Aji Williams, noted that the NYSC is dedicated to fostering mutual growth and development, adding that it is through meaningful partnerships with corps members’ employers that the scheme could truly maximise these endeavours.

"Strengthening our partnership is not merely a desirable goal but a necessity for fostering empowerment, innovation, and social responsibility.

"Throughout this workshop, we will engage in critical discussions, share experiences, and explore best practices that will help us strengthen our bonds and enhance the effectiveness of the NYSC in serving both corps members and the labour market," he said.

Don Tasks FG to Reconstruct Collapse Namnai Bridge in Taraba.

By Godwin Agia, Jalingo 

Professor John Ajai of Taraba State University, Jalingo, wrote an open letter to the Federal Government on Wednesday, reminding them of the collapsed Namnai Bridge on the Jalingo to Wukari road. 

Ajai noted that the bridge, which connects Benue, Adamawa and other northern States, has been in a state of disrepair for over a year, causing significant economic and social impacts on the region.

In his letter, Professor Ajai shared his personal experience of crossing the collapsed section of the bridge using a ferry. He described the experience as frightening and dangerous, with the ferry operator's miscalculation causing the boat's propeller to get stuck in the sand.

Professor Ajai called on the Federal Government to treat the reconstruction of the Namnai Bridge as an emergency. He urged the government to mobilise necessary resources, deploy qualified contractors, and reopen the vital corridor to restore safe and reliable movement across the region.

"It has been exactly one year since the Namnai Bridge on the Jalingo to Wukari road collapsed. This bridge is located in Taraba State and sits on a major federal route that connects Benue and Adamawa States. More broadly, it links the North Central region to the North East and the North West. Despite its strategic importance as a Trunk federal road, there has been no meaningful federal effort to repair or reconstruct the bridge.

"The consequences of this inaction are not theoretical. I am speaking from direct personal experience. Last week, I had to travel along this route and cross the collapsed section using a ferry. What should have been a routine crossing quickly turned into a frightening and dangerous episode. 

"The ferry operator miscalculated. The boat’s propeller got stuck in the sand. We could not berth. Passengers had to be evacuated under tense and unsafe conditions. The buses on board remained stranded for more than thirty minutes. It was a deeply unsettling experience. I thank God that no lives were lost that day, but that was due to divine mercy, not because proper safety measures were in place.

"This situation is more than an inconvenience. It is a daily source of risk and hardship for thousands of commuters, traders, students, and families. With the Namnai Bridge still out of service, people are forced to make dangerous river crossings just to continue their journeys. The economic impact is serious. The human cost is even more alarming.

"It is deeply concerning that the Federal Government has allowed such an important piece of infrastructure to remain in this condition for over twelve months. The Namnai Bridge is not a local road. It is a federal responsibility. 

The Ministry of Works and Housing and the Federal Road Maintenance Agency are fully aware that this is a Trunk A route. Yet nothing concrete has been done to restore it. No contractors have been mobilised. No timelines have been communicated. No progress has been made.

"I am also using this opportunity to appeal to the elected representatives from Taraba State in the National Assembly. You may not be directly responsible for the execution of federal works, but you are in a position to raise this issue forcefully. Your voices matter. Your silence also speaks volumes," he said.