Happy 53rd Birthday:

Gov Kefas' Great Strides In A Blink

As soon as Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, was voted into office, he swung into action by initiating a five-point agenda to guide his four-year leadership. The core areas of his age da include Education, Economy and Job Creation, Security, Peace and Unity, Women and Youth Employment, and most importantly Healthcare.

The Governor began the implementation of his agenda by declaring a free and compulsory education in Primary and Secondary School s across the State, a decision that was received with a lot of enthusiasm by people of all walks of life. To Education stakeholders in the State, this was a clear indication that the Governor understood that education is the backbone of the development of every society was determined to leave his footprints in that area.

Today, Taraba has been lifted out of the States with the highest number of school dropouts. It could be recalled that as per statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics, Taraba was second to Sokoto in the area of out-of-school children.

It is estimated that over 100,000 children have so far been added to the enrollment in Primary and Secondary schools in the State, with virtually all the schools across the State overgrowing their numbers.

Meanwhile, the governor is burning the midnight candle to ensure that, starting in January 2024,  students get free tuition, free didactic materials and wears, as well as free WAEC, NECO, and BECE examinations.

In aviation, the investor-minded governor is changing the narrative. It is worth noting that he met a locked down airport due to bureaucratic bottlenecks and other encumbrances. That, too, has been dealt with as the airport is now operational. The impact has been tremendous as more tourists and investors are finding it easier to access the State.

One of the visible efforts of the Governor is the tractorisation policy of his government, aimed at putting a machine in each farm stead for mechanized agriculture. Recentl, he started working with the Czech Republic to turn Taraba State into a manufacturing hub of agricultural implements. According to Dr. Kefas, "We look to making Taraba State the food basket of Nigeria. We are not planning to end food scarcity only in Taraba but all over the country."

In his efforts to revive the economy and create jobs, Dr. Kefas has also delved into the provision of free fertilizers to farmers. With this move, many people have been able to return to the farms, cultivating crops in large scale and improving the living standards of their families.

To improve workers welfare, the indefatigable governor implemented the minimum wage for the first time in the State.

He also undertook a massive renovation of the Federal Secretariat to facilitate work and service delivery by civil servants. 

In the area if security, peace and unity, His Excellency Governor Agbu Kefas enlisted the robust support of Security Chiefs for a safer Taraba State. This became imperative as the State was gradually being taken captive by kidnappers, hoodlums, and other men of the underworld.

In the past, there have been reports of neglect of the Judiciary. To stem the tide in this wise, Gov Kefas chose to reform the sector with the aim of ensuring the welfare of all judges in the State. He has prioritized the training and retraining of the civil service, including the Judiciary.

Before the Federal Government thought of providing palliatives to the various States, Gov Kefas had already gone ahead to institute an effective palliatives measure across Taraba State, with all the 16 Local Government Areas benefitting from the exercise.

Besides undertaking a total reconstruction of the College of Nursing Jalingo to provide a conducive learning atmosphere for health students, the Governor ensured that a conducive business atmosphere was also created to attract foreign investments and funds through effective interface with embassies in Nigeria.

According to Emmanuel Bello, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Digital Communications, Taraba State has begun reaping the fruits of His Excellency's vision as foreign investors have started taking interest in investing in the State.