At 35, Gov Kefas Sets Taraba on New Development Path

 

Taraba State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, has said his administration will no longer allow development in the state to depend on the preferences of individual administrations, insisting that Taraba must be developed deliberately, systematically and sustainably.

 

Kefas stated this in Jalingo while addressing journalists to mark the 35th anniversary of the creation of Taraba State. 

 

He said the state had immense potential in agriculture, mining, tourism, energy and other sectors, but stressed that the major challenge was to convert those resources into prosperity and improved living conditions for the people.

 

“Taraba will no longer develop accidentally. We will develop deliberately, scientifically, systematically and sustainably,” the governor said.

 

Kefas said the administration was working to establish long-term systems and institutions that would continue to support development beyond individual political administrations.

 

He announced plans for a Taraba Development Master Plan, which he said would provide a long-term framework for coordinated development across the state’s 16 local government areas and 168 wards.

 

According to him, the plan would cover roads, housing, agriculture, education, healthcare, water, energy, industry, tourism, sports and environmental protection.

 

The governor also announced a Taraba Water Systems Plan, aimed at moving the state from emergency repairs to a sustainable approach to urban and rural water supply.

 

He said the initiative would focus on protecting the state’s water resources and establishing a framework for reliable water delivery.

 

Addressing the economic hardship confronting residents, Kefasannounced Taraba CARES, a six-month social investment and poverty relief programme scheduled to run from October 2026 to March 2027.

 

He said the programme would provide targeted food assistance, household support, temporary community employment, agricultural inputs, livelihood equipment, health and nutrition outreach, school-family assistance, emergency water interventions and support for vulnerable older persons and persons living with disabilities.

 

Kefas stressed that Taraba CARES would not be operated as a political patronage scheme, saying beneficiaries would be selected based on verified need, transparency and community accountability.

 

“It does not belong to APC. It does not belong to Christians. It does not belong to Muslims. It does not belong to one tribe. It belongs to vulnerable Taraba citizens who genuinely need intervention,” he said.

 

On education, the governor said his administration had introduced free and compulsory basic and secondary education, reduced financial burdens on students in state-owned tertiary institutions, supported public examination fees and provided learning materials.

 

He said the next phase would focus on improving the quality of education through better teacher competence, discipline, accountability, technology and measurable learning outcomes.

 

On healthcare, Kefas said the government had deployed mobile hospitals and carried out interventions in health facilities across Jalingo, Wukari, Karim Lamido, Bali, Zing, Takum, Warwar and other parts of the state.

 

He said the administration would continue to strengthen health facilities and take healthcare services closer to underserved communities.

 

The governor acknowledged the infrastructure deficit facing the state, saying several communities still required roads, bridges, drainage systems and other public facilities.

 

He said the administration was also improving the Jalingo Airport to enhance access to the state for tourism, investment, agriculture and commerce.

 

On agriculture, Kefas said Taraba would pursue commercial agriculture through mechanisation, irrigation, storage, aggregation, processing and improved market access.

 

He said the Taraba Agricultural Transformation and Development Project (TAARD) would help strengthen the agricultural value chain.

 

“Our farmers must no longer remain poor while feeding the nation,” he said.

 

Kefas also said the government would continue to oppose illegal mining while creating a transparent and secure environment for genuine investors.

 

He said greater emphasis would be placed on local value addition to create jobs, attract investment and ensure that host communities benefited from the state’s mineral resources.

 

On energy, the governor said Taraba had significant hydro and solar potential and that his administration was working towards expanding rural electrification and attracting private investment.

 

He said reliable electricity was critical to schools, hospitals, agriculture, businesses, industries and the digital economy.

 

On security, Kefas said the administration had strengthened cooperation with security agencies, traditional institutions, local authorities and communities.

 

He said government had provided operational vehicles and motorcycles and was paying closer attention to vulnerable corridors, forests, border communities and areas exposed to criminal activities.

 

The governor said security could not be achieved through force alone, noting that drug abuse, cultism, youth unemployment, illegal mining, land disputes and social exclusion also needed to be addressed.

 

He urged traditional rulers to play a stronger role in early warning, conflict prevention and grassroots peacebuilding.

 

Kefas also highlighted the importance of youth development, saying government programmes must provide young people with opportunities in education, agriculture, technology, entrepreneurship, sports, skills development and creative enterprise.

 

He said sports should be used not only for entertainment but also for youth development, employment, health, discipline, tourism and unity.

 

The governor said the state would work towards identifying and developing sporting talents from schools and rural communities.

 

He also identified women empowerment as an important part of the state’s development agenda, saying women played central roles in agriculture, commerce, education, healthcare and community stability.

 

Kefas said government would continue to expand opportunities for women in enterprise, agriculture, education, sports and public life.

 

The governor also highlighted Taraba’s tourism potential, including the Mambilla Plateau, Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Nwonyo, rivers, mountains, forests and cultural festivals.

 

He said improved infrastructure, security, air access, hospitality and organised tourist destinations would be necessary to turn the state’s tourism potential into economic opportunities.

 

Kefas also addressed his decision to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as a strategic move to strengthen Taraba’s engagement with the Federal Government and widen development partnerships.

 

He said the decision had not changed his commitment to the people of the state.

 

The governor said he would continue to work with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Government, National Assembly members and other development partners where such cooperation would advance the interests of Taraba.

 

“I remain Governor of every Taraba citizen. Those who belong to APC, those in other political parties, and those who belong to no political party,” he said.

 

He urged political actors to compete with ideas and avoid violence, ethnic mobilisation and religious division as political activities increase.

 

“Nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of a Taraba citizen,” Kefas said.

 

The governor acknowledged that several challenges remained across the state, including unfinished roads, inadequate water and electricity in some communities, gaps in schools and healthcare facilities, unemployment and security concerns.

 

“I will not stand before Taraba people and claim that every problem has disappeared. That would not be truthful,” he said.

 

Kefas said the next phase of his administration would focus on measurable results rather than announcements.

 

He listed education reform, healthcare, agricultural production and processing, water and energy security, strategic roads and bridges, community security, youth and women empowerment, sports development, responsible mining, civil service reform, investment and tourism among the priorities.

 

He also called for unity among the state’s diverse ethnic, religious and political groups, saying no single group could develop Taraba alone.

 

“No ethnic group can develop Taraba alone. No religion can develop Taraba alone. No political party can develop Taraba alone,” he said.

 

The governor said his administration’s broader objective was to move Taraba “from potential to performance, from dependency to productivity, from division to unity, from isolated projects to planned development, from emergency responses to sustainable systems, and from promises to measurable results.”

 

He urged citizens to judge the administration by its performance and stressed that the state’s development must continue beyond individual administrations.

 

“Elections will come. Administrations will come and go. But the development of Taraba must continue,” Kefas said.