The chairman of the Taraba state chapter of the Asap of Local Governments of Nigerian (ALGON), Dr Aminu Jauro Hassan has described Governor Kefas’s developmental strides in the State as a foundation for lasting transformation that will lead the state to unprecedented growth and development.
Hassan who doubles as the council chairman of Jalingo, disclosed this in an interview with our Correspondent in Jalingo, the state capital,
He said that the Governor has chosen key sectors that are most strategic for development and has laid a foundation that will stand the test of time and withstand changes in administrations.
Enumerating some is the strategic sectors, Hassan noted that Education, Health, Security, Agriculture, Entrepreneurship, youth and women empowerment have received an unprecedented boost already.
According to Hassan, “The state governor Dr Agbu Kefas declared a state of emergency in the education sector shortly after assuming office. He did not waste time and proceeded to declare free education for both primary and secondary schools in the State. This is followed by the launching of the electronic capturing of students and teachers in our primary and secondary schools across the state.
“A lot of people may not understand the full import of this. I have been on this seat before and I can tell you that some of the children who were out of school in this state were out because their parents could not afford the little payments that were required back then. In Jalingo local government area alone, this policy has taken over a thousand children off the streets.
“The launching of the electronic capturing system for teachers and students is to ensure that the state has the right data for planning purposes and to ensure that the Teacher/students ratio is maintained. By implication, we would most likely see massive employment of even more teachers in the days to come.
“The Governor has also set a standard that not everyone can just come in to teach our children. For primary schools, you must be a graduate while you will require a Master’s degree to qualify to teach in our secondary schools. This means that a lot of our teachers will invariably have to upgrade to maintain their jobs.
“Now what this means ultimately is that, in a few years to come, Taraba will become a land of graduates. People will no longer be okay with just obtaining an NCE or Diploma Certificate and going to sleep. They will aspire for more. That is how you lay a foundation for transformation.
“And as you are aware, the governor has gone ahead to slash the tuition fees at the state-owned tertiary institutions by half. Remember this is coming at a time even the Federal Government is hiking the tuition in their institutions, both secondary and tertiary. This will ingeniously enable people to obtain higher qualifications at subsidised rates quite easily. This again has lasting transformational implications for the greater good of our dear State” Hassan said.
In the area of Health, Hassan noted that the Governor has already approved the building of new specialist Hospitals across the state and has purchased Pentacycles ambulances for use in the State so as to reach even the most remote areas of the state.
“Health is another sector the governor is giving top priority. The good thing about his policies is that they are not just policies that will get transient applause and fade away. They are foundational. By the time you have more Specialist hospitals in all the senatorial districts in the State, you will have taken much of the pressure on the one in Jalingo and brought the health services closer to the people.
“This will invariably mean better service delivery, more effective management and efficient supervision and monitoring. Besides this, the governor is also upgrading our Primary Health sector to ensure that they are better positioned to provide the services they are designed to.
“Also of great implication is the upgrading of facilities at the state-owned School of Nursing, slashing of tuition there and ensuring a conducive environment for teaching and learning for our prospective Nurses and Midwives, most of whom are absorbed into the State Health Management Board. This again is strategic and key to lasting transformation”.
Hassan who noted that security has become the bane of national development, said the steps taken by the state government to address insecurity have proven his track records as an intelligence officer of reputation.
“Security has been a major concern. Until he assumed office, most parts of Taraba State were on fire literally. The Southern Taraba was plagued with the Tiv/Jukun communal crisis that was almost leaving the area uninhabitable. The herders/farmers crisis was also taking its toll on most parts of the state, while activities of bandits, kidnappers and others were giving residents sleepless nights.
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“However, since he assumed office, you will notice that most of these issues have abetted greatly. You barely hear about Tiv/Jukun skirmishes again. Security is deteriorating across the country and Taraba is no exception but strategic steps have been taken to control the situation. For instance, the governor set up the anti-kidnapping crack squad that is doing a wonderful job of cracking down on syndicates.
“Patrol vehicles have been purchased and shared with most of the security agencies and I can tell you that the governor is constantly in touch with the security agencies even when he is out of town to get updates. He has stated emphatically that he has no shield for any criminal and so the security agencies have an open cheque to operate in line with their rules of engagement.
” When it became obvious that some criminal elements were using tricycles and motorcycles to commit crimes, especially within Jalingo metropolis, he simply banned the use of Motorcycles and controlled the operations of tricycles such that, the incidences that had become the norm, snatching of phones, stabbing people in the night and all of that is in the past”.
Jauro said that the acquisition and distribution of over Eight Hundred tractors, fertilizer, improved seedlings and other farm inputs have brought major boost to Agriculture and will ensure that the prices of foodstuffs will soon crash and food security will be guaranteed.
He hailed the governor for taking youth and women empowerment very seriously by appointing the highest number of women and youth in his cabinet since the creation of the State and urges the people of the state to join hands with the governor to make sure that dividends of democracy go round to everyone.
