by admin | Jan 27, 2018 | Lifestyle, Opinion
The Executive Secretary, Taraba state Christian pilgrims welfare board Mr. Levi Kanja has commended Taraba Governor Darius Ishaku over his unrelenting quest to bolster the faith of Christians through sponsorship to Israel for the holy pilgrimage.
Taraba 2017 Pilgrimage
According to him, the recent pilgrimage was a huge success as was previous due to the number of Tarabans who embarked on the trip to the holy land. “I want to seize this opportunity to thank our Governor for counting it worthy to sponsor a large number of Tarabans to Israel for the pilgrimage. It was a very successful exercise and of course, it strengthened the faith of those that were part of the group” he narrated.
Mr. Kanga revealed that Taraba pilgrims conducted themselves very well as there was no ugly incident involving any of the pilgrims. “We had over four hundred pilgrims this year and yet there was no single incident of abscondment as reported in a few states in our own camp was a huge achievement. Our return trip was equally successful and we return all glory to God for giving us a Governor whose heartbeat is tilted toward peace, prosperity, and development of our dear state. We are indebted to him” he maintained.
The executive secretary called on Christian faithful to continue to pray for the peace of Taraba so as to enable the government develops the state.
by admin | Nov 21, 2017 | Latest News, Lifestyle
His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku has received with shock news of the untimely death of Chief Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme, former Vice President of Nigeria and foremost Nigerian architect, which occurred November 19, 2017.
Chief Ekwueme played a critical role in the political engineering process that gave birth to the present democratic dispensation in Nigeria. His very mature approach to politics, forthrightness, and patriotism also helped in no small way to nurture and sustain that process. His contributions will certainly be accorded a generous place in the political history books of the country.
His Excellency wishes to extend his sincere condolences to the members of the family of this political stalwart and architect, a profession that he is also a proud member of, the Governors and the entire people of the South East States of Nigeria on this sad occurrence. May God Almighty grant them the fortitude to bear the loss of this illustrious gift to the Nigerian federation.
Signed:
Bala Dan Abu
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Taraba State on Media and Publicity
by admin | Nov 7, 2017 | Interesting Articles, Lifestyle, Opinion
Sometimes, one wonders if religious instructions are only valuable at Church or Mosque or they are to constantly guide our general lifestyle. Everyone knows that God says we should give thanks for everything. Why is it not the case with some Tarabans?
Some people complain at every available instance. When you look critically at Governor Ishaku’s government, you will see so many things to thank God for. By doing so, God will use him to do more for us, don’t you think? In case you don’t know, here are 16 things Tarabans should thank God for the Governor.
- Supportive Wife: Many Governors are not as lucky as Taraba to have a first lady that is highly educated, disciplined, God-fearing and a great achiever. Unless you have been living under a rock, you must have seen, heard or experienced one of the Governor’s wife achievements that have touched thousands of lives and greatly complements her husband’s.
From discovering the Ndola people and helping them to get a development area, to interventions in skills acquisitions, cancer, and drug abuse campaigns among several others, Taraba Governor’s wife fits the exact description of a rare gem that other states would gladly pay a fortune to own. God gave us this great gift. We should be grateful.
- Strategic Governor: It is no doubt that Governor Ishaku is a strategic Governor. Strategy simply means a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term aim. While others may be thinking of short-term achievements, Governor Ishaku is thinking of what Taraba should be in 10, 20, 30 and 50 years ahead, years after his terms in office. Some of the examples of his strategic projects include:
a.) Current water project that should last around 35 years before another major expansion.
b.) Partnership with Dangote for Sugar manufacturing.
c.) Functional airport and
d.) Partnership with several other organizations for agriculture, mining, tourism among others.
No wonder Rosalynn Carter says “a great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be”.
- Vocal Governor: When it comes to speaking up and taking a positive stand on important life-threatening issues, Governor Ishaku has always done that. Can you remember his stand on the anti-open grazing bill and the recent Mining week organized by miners association in Abuja where he boldly expressed displeasure over mining title holders from Abuja who engage in mining in states without permission or notifying authorities?.
From sacking of Chiefs who seized lands belonging to IDPs to gradually eliminating ghost workers and ghost schools, Governor Ishaku has never dragged his feet about serious issues that affect lives. Chris Brady is right when he said “No guts, no story.”
- Peace Loving Governor – The Governor has created an enabling environment for dialogue. No matter where the problem is coming from, he always seems to have this natural ability to know how to bring people together to settle their differences.
From working with the Benue Governor to settle boundary issues to setting up Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Mambilla crises, and several other interventions, Governor Ishaku has always never fallen the hands of Tarabans when it comes to Security. No one says it better than Albert Einstein’s “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”
5. Meticulous Use of Resources: After inheriting state debts worth billions of naira and meeting a completely empty treasury, Governor Ishaku did not enjoy the financial abundance that the previous administrations enjoyed. Everything was there to discourage him from venturing into projects that will make any meaningful impact.
If not for the meticulous use of resources, the Governor would hardly have recorded any tangible achievement that would affect lives. In just two years, he is rated as a top performing Governor. Is this not what to thank God for?
6. Salaries: First there was the issue of ghost workers, then the issue of salaries slashing, then all kinds of frauds. The Governor set up various committees to curtail anomalies and has done everything humanly possible to ensure that every Taraba Civil Servant gets his or her salary when due.
According to him, he has also been a salary earner and knows the pain and frustration that comes with not getting your monthly payments. Unless money is not released from Abuja on time, Governor Ishaku has never wasted time in approving and paying salaries. We have several states that don’t enjoy this. Is this not something again to be grateful for?
7. Debt: Everyone knows that when you don’t pay off your debt, you become a slave to the lender. The Governor has been reducing the state’s debt. This has gone a long way to help the state to self-sufficiency once all debts are paid. This is one of the silent achievements that hardly go noticed but have a huge impact on the general economy of the state. We would have been dancing to a different music by now if this was not attended to.
8. Internally Generated Revenue: The amount of the internally generated revenue of any state determines how powerful that state is, in relation to other states, and is one of the factors that determine what allocation a state gets from Abuja. Governor Ishaku has caught this vision and has been working very hard to increase the IGR of the state in order to fund governance and services in years to come.
He has revived the highland tea which can be sold worldwide, established one of the most powerful greenhouses in Nigeria and several upcoming projects. He even established the Revenue Monitoring Team, an arm of the Rescue Watch that ascertains the internally generated revenue of all government systems in order to block leakages and increase revenue. This has no doubt added some extra millions to government coffers.
9. Grassroots Governor: Most people know that most projects in this government enjoy a reasonable balance between Rural and Urban areas, especially in the areas of Water, Health, Power supply, Roads and several others. How many governments have achieved this feat? Let’s be grateful.
10. Rescue Watch: Rescue Watch is one of the programs anyone will call an administrative genius. It is structured in such a way that the three arms of government, along with all Ministries and Agencies, Local Governments and Traditional rulers are brought together to tackle issues across the state with all hands on deck. Shhh, let’s not tell the outside world much about this. They will repackage this and sell it back to us. The Rescue Watch can make the G20 nations call an emergency summit. Are we not grateful that this genius project is originating from Taraba state?
11. Touched Several MDAs: The Governor’s Projects and impact cuts across several Ministries and agencies. From providing counterpart funding, completing delayed projects, employment, empowerment and creating new projects, the Governor has touched nearly every MDA with his unique achievements. We should appreciate God for this too.
12. Bonuses: Several thousand pilgrims from both religions have been airlifted to the holy lands for the past two years. He has been faithfully providing foodstuff and beef during Christian and Muslim festivities. Governor Ishaku has made Taraba the envy of other states. He deserves a pat on the back. This is really cool.
13. Capital projects: Several noticeable and unnoticeable capital projects have been going on all over the state. Since the projects do not affect lives directly, like employment, salaries or bonuses do, many people think he is not doing anything tangible.
When we take statistics of before office and after assumption of office, we will fill up several books of his achievements within two and a half years. From the construction of roads, digitization of TTV and TSBS, schools, hospitals, water and several others, the capital projects by this administration can speak for themselves.
14. Not religiously biased: Any discerning person that cares to ask the simplest question will easily know that the Governor is not religiously biased. Some of his closest aides are not of the same faith with him. According to him, he does not even give any religion financial support secretly. He treats both equally in everything. Anyone accusing him of religious biasedness is not being fair at all.
15. Track record: Governor Ishaku is doing several things well because he has track record. As someone who managed a business, has two Masters Degrees and a PhD in view, been a University lecturer, widely travelled and oversaw three Federal Ministries as a Minister under the previous regime, Governor Ishaku has enough track record that makes him a dynamic leader.
16. Counterpart Funding: Despite the lean resources that come into the state every month, Governor Ishaku has scored very high in the provision of counterpart funding that initiated several foreign interventions in the state. Most times, Taraba is usually among the best three to provide counterpart funding.
That’s it for now. If you have any reason to criticize, you can do it and be heard. Check out three kinds of criticsm to get the Governor’s attention. As you can see, giving thanks is more profitable than complaints…If you get any occasion to complain, simply look up one of these areas and thank God instead.
by admin | Sep 12, 2017 | Latest News, Lifestyle
Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku has commended the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria for choosing Jalingo the Taraba state Capital to host the second Plenary conference.
Governor Darius Ishaku said this yesterday during a dinner organised by Taraba State Government at the Catholic secretariat, saying that, it is the first of such event to be hosted by the state since it was created in 1991.
Darius Ishaku expressed confidence that the meeting will bring showers of blessings to the state through the prayers that will be offered to God in respect of the state and added that what the state needed most at the moment is peace and mutual trust among the people of the state.
He maintained that the lack of peace in some parts of the state has negatively impacted on social and economic lives and stressed that his administration was working assiduously to ensure that the state embraces peace, tolerance and harmonious coexistence across board.
The Taraba state Governor told the Bishops that one of his greatest achievement in the state was giving Ngada people a sense of belonging by creating the Ngada Development Area, explaining that the area was completely cut off from modernity occasioned by lack of schools, hospitals, roads and other basic amenities.
He revealed that the successes recorded so far in Ngada were made possible by the singular effort of his wife, Barr. Anna Ishaku through her pet project, the Hope Afresh foundation in liaison with some non governmental organisations.
Earlier in his speech, the Catholic Bishop of Jalingo Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Charles Hammawa told the Governor that the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo is in support of the Governor’s rescue mission in the state.
Dr. Charles Hammawa stated that the ongoing rescue mission in the state should not only end here in Jalingo but should be extended to the Federal level, so that the wonderful skills acquisition and empowerment for women and youths will be replicated in all the books and corners of the country.
He assured the Governor of the support, partnership and collaboration of the entire members of Catholic Diocese of Jalingo and praised the wife of the Governor, Barr. Anna Ishaku for the beautiful works that she is doing in the Hope Afresh Foundation and urged her to continue to do more for women and youths and to also further fortify her campaign against drugs abuse among schools children and youths.
In his contribution, the Catholic Bishop of Lagos, Rev. Dr. Martin’s Adewale told the Governor that they have seen his contributions and inputs in the state and urged the Governor to do more particularly on the welfare of the citizenry.
Martins Adewale, commended the state government for the work he is doing in the state, particularly the greenhouse and other viable ventures that are impacting on the lives of the people of the state and appreciated the Governor for a wonderful hospitality and kindness and also assured him of the Bishops prayers at all times.
by admin | Aug 19, 2017 | Latest News, Lifestyle, Opinion
The Taraba State Executive Council led by the Executive Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku yesterday 17th August, 2017 held a valedictory session for Danbaba Danfulani Suntai as part of activities lined to honour him for his contribution to the growth of the state.
Valedictory Session, Government House, Jalingo
The event which took place around 2pm at the Exco chambers of Government House Jalingo had in attendance all members of the present Exco.
Speaking during the Valedictory Session, Taraba state Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku described the former Governor as a man with unequalled character in the contemporary society.
Governor Darius Ishaku said Danbaba Suntai’s formidable structures put in place in the state capital and the local government areas would be difficult to erase hence the need to improve on it and as well initiate and design other valuable programmes which the people of the state will continue to be proud of.
He used the session to appreciate Retired General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma for chattering flights to bring the corpse of the deceased and promised to set up a committee that would go and thank him formally.
Other Members of the state Executive Council who also spoke during the Valedictory Session showered encomiums on Late former Governor, Danbaba Danfulani Suntai for his enormous contribution to the development of the state.
In his contribution, the Deputy Governor, Engr. Haruna Manu described the deceased as a generous and a detribalised personality who worked tirelessly to develop and also change the hitherto rural status of the state.
Haruna Manu said his story in life will not be complete without mentioning the former Governor who contributed substantially to promote and elevate his company and further place him on a good pedestal in politics.
Commenting on the unique qualities of Late Suntai, the Chief of staff, Government House administration, Rebo Usman said, the love shown by the former governor to people of the state was awesomely unquantifiable coupled with his firmness in handling issues that affects Taraba citizens.
Rebo Usman expressed happiness that the dreams and aspirations of late Suntai are being vigorously pursued, and materialised through the hard work of the present Governor, Darius Ishaku who believes in continuity and added that with the achievements recorded in the state so far attest to the uniformity of ideas.
On his part, the Secretary to Taraba state Government, Anthony Jellason described late Suntai as a humble, generous and a kind fellow .
Anthony Jellason stated that Danbaba Suntai was detribalised and treated all Tarabans with love irrespective of tribe, religion or other affiliations.
Speaking on the unequaled character of late Danbaba Suntai, the State head of Service, Simon Istifanus Angyu urged Tarabans to emulate him and urged all to be truthful which was the hallmark of the deceased former Governor.
Simon Angyu applauded the significant role played by the deceased in the harmonization of workers salaries and ensuring consistency in the payment of monthly salaries in the state.
All Commissioners that spoke praised his doggedness, proactiveness, resilience and above all, the pragmatic approach of late Danbaba Danfulani Suntai towards the development of the state.
They unanimously said he impacted on them the unique attributes to imbibe the spirit of selflessness in the service of the state and to humanity.
Accordingly, the former Secretary to the Taraba state government, Gebon Timothy Kataps remarked that the name of the former governor would always be remembered for the achievements recorded in the state during his tenure.
He said when the Governor crashed in a plane he was piloting, the state would have been in abyss if not for the steadfastness and the loyalty of his loyalists who were tagged; the cabals, who stood their ground to protecting his structures for continuous development of the state.
Kataps, on behalf of late Governor Danbaba’s friends thanked Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku for the love and care shown to the family in paying his bills and for according him a state burial.
Two minutes silence was observed for late Danbaba Danfulani Suntai who was the second civilian Governor of the state, the Valedictory Session had former Council members during the deceased tenure in attendance.
by admin | Aug 16, 2017 | Latest News, Lifestyle
The Governor of Taraba state Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku has solicited for collaboration with the Presidential committee on North East initiative PCNI, in the implementation of its programmes across the region.
Governor Darius Ishaku said this when he visited the office of the Presidential Committee in Maitama, Abuja, hence the need for proper synergy that will help integrate the internally displaced persons IDPs resident in Taraba state.
Darius Ishaku commended the committee for their visit to the state, saying that their intervention in the state has been wonderful and his administration is ready at all times to work with the committee in order to give the IDPs sense of belonging by engaging into activities that will make them better persons in their respective settlements.
He told the committee’s Vice Chairman that most of the IDPs in Taraba state are from Borno state and are not willing to return to their places of origin and disclosed that, at the moment Taraba state Government working out modalities on how best to integrate them, particularly those that wants to take up farming as their means of livilihood.
Accordingly, the Governor said those that intend to remain in Taraba state and take up farming would be provided with permanent places of settlements and would be equally given land for farming as well as high yielding seedlings for cash crops such as rice, cocoa, sesame seeds, cassava and other high yielding cash crops so that they can go into commercial farming in the state.
Speaking further, Darius Ishaku remarked that with all these wonderful initiatives in place by the State Government, realising it will be highly impossible and solicited for sincere collaboration with PCNI to give the IDPs a better livilihood in the state that would be beneficial to the state and the country at large.
The Taraba state Governor averred that Taraba state is relatively peaceful, but however said most of the crises that have occurred in the state were mostly caused by the political elites for their selfish gains and said he is working assiduously to end such trend and engender mutual trust among the people of the state.
Darius Ishaku charged the Presidential committee on North East Initiative to quickened the healing process of the IDPs caused by Boko haram for them to understand that government is concerned about their plight.
Responding on behalf of the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on North East Initiative PCNI, General TY Danjuma, the Vice Chairman of the Committee, Tijjani Tumsa said the committee is working Relentlessly to find a lasting solutions to the problems of IDPs in the North East.
Tijjani Tumsa maintained that resettlement is a very serious and burning issue in the country that the Committee is grappling with and stressed that measures are being worked out so that permanent camps for IDPs that will make them productive and as well realised their potentials would be put in place in the region.
He noted with grave concern the plight of most IDPs and revealed that all the IDPs camps have been identified and the Committee is poised to ensure that the IDPs live a normal lives and stated that, the IDPs will not continue to live in one place without engaging them meaningfully.
The Vice Chairman revealed that there are also plans to engaged states in the region proactively in the areas of Agriculture, positing that the area is blessed in terms of Agricultural activities and that Agricultural master plan has already been designed for the region to boost food, milk and beef production to meet the nation’s quest for sustainable food production and sufficiency.
Tijjani Tumsa appreciated the Taraba state Governor for providing the committee with office in Jalingo and and assured him of harmonious collaboration by the committee.
Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku presented the committee with cartoons of f Highland tea which is being produced in Taraba state and solicited for patronage from the Committee, saying that, the Highland tea is one of beverage drinks in the world which has been fully certified by German Government.
