Gov. Ishaku Visits Affected Areas, Disagree with FG’s Method of Distributing Relief Items

The Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku has disagreed with the methods employed by the Federal Government   to distribute relief materials in the state,  accusing them of not carrying the state government along in the distribution of relief assistance to the people of the State.

Ishaku stated this shortly after he inspected the areas in Jalingo, the State capital that were affected by flood on Saturday.

The Governor, who called on the Federal Government to assist victims of the flood, however, lamented that most times relief assistance from the Federal Government do not pass through the Taraba government, the situation he described as "unknown procedure".

"Last week I understand the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs were here sharing money to people. I tried to get to the Minister, but I couldn't get her.

"Generally, assistance from the Federal Government doesn't get us in Taraba and even when it does, it comes through some certain proxies. This is an unknown procedure.

 "Any help that is coming to Taraba should come through the government. We have established ways of doing things in the state. We have the State Emergency Management Agency and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs existing in the State.

"I see no reason why the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs cannot liaise with her counterpart ministry in the state in reaching out to the people," he lamented.

The Governor also  stated that he is going to engage team of engineers to assess damage done to bridges affected by the flood to put them on the right frame.

 

Governor Ishaku pledged to relocate victims of the flood advising people still living along river bank to relocate to areas not prone to floods.

 

 

"Most of the issues around the Mambilla power plant are on bankability of the project. What we did was to redesign the project to be bankable and acceptable to the lenders."

 

 

The $5.8 billion power plant in Taraba State was designed to generate 3,050 megawatts of electricity.

 

In 2017, the Federal Government approved the construction of the project by a Chinese firm.

 

China's Export-Import Bank was expected to provide 85 per cent of the funding while the Federal Government will contribute 15 per cent for the joint venture.