Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State

Taraba state Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku says he is determined to make Taraba state a better place where all ethnic groups will coexist peacefully.

Governor Darius Ishaku stated this yesterday in his office Government House Jalingo when Bakula Kwararafa Cultural Development Association paid him a courtesy visit to appreciate him for being able to bring the people of the state together in spite of the differences he met on ground when he took over as the Governor of the state.

Darius Ishaku who was happy with the visit remarked that he can now beat his chest and tell the world he has made remarkable imprints in the sands of history in Taraba and its citizens, saying that, the people of the state had trust and confidence on him and he has actually upheld the trust, firstly by ensuring that peace returns to all the corners of the state.

He maintained that another area he had to put his foot down in order to bring to an end, was the fraud in the salaries of teachers and local government worker and today, their salaries are running regularly and promptly. He explained that concerted effort was made to block leakages and all the Staff of Taraba State Universal Basic Education Board TSUBED, and all local government staff were subjected to proper screening backed by Biometric exercise across the 16 local councils. Thus, today everybody in these two sectors is happy.

The Governor reaffirmed that the exercise will be regular until he rids the state of unacceptable practices where every civil servant will be happy and proud of his earnings. He asserted that the era of one person collecting more than ten persons salaries is over in the state, stressing that, with the success recorded more jobs will be provided for Taraba indigenes.

Darius Ishaku informed the Bakula community that he was commended by the officials of National Union of Local Government Employees NULGE, both in the state and at the National level and recently NULGE in conjunction with ALGON presented to him an award of excellence in Abuja for being a prudent manager of local government finances in the country. He said that, for the two labor Unions to honor him with an award of excellence, it was a well researched award and said he will not relent until the local government which is the closest to the people is made better.

Accordingly, the Governor said electricity in the state has been significantly improved, more communities have been connected to the National Grid, there is steady water supply, farmers’ capacity enhanced and regular security meetings are being held to ensure that the state remains calm. He emphasized that he needs more of the peace so that the people can go about their normal businesses without any fear at all times.

Speaking more on security, Ishaku posited that he has zero tolerance for any form of security breach in the state and this is the reason why he has put all the security apparatuses on their toes by ensuring that there is extra vigilance across the state by providing them with the needed support where necessary.

He told the Bakula community that the Kona road has been completed and efforts will be made to continue from Kona to Lau so that the people around that area will also feel the presence of government.

Darius Ishaku used the forum to tell the Bakula community to form themselves into cooperative groups that will engage in dry season rice farming so that they can benefit from incentives that would be provided by Government to boost dry season rice farming and other agricultural produce in the state.

Speaking earlier, the President of Bakula Kwararafa Cultural Development Association, BKCDA, Cyprian Bandawa said they came to identify with him and to appreciate him for giving numerous political appointments to the Bakula community in different capacities in his administration, describing such gesture as unprecedented in the history of the state.

Explaining that the Bakula people who are found in about seven Local Government Areas of the state now have a sense of belonging in the scheme of things and is the reason they have come as a community to say thank you and to register their unalloyed support to enable the Governor to excel in all his endeavors

Bandawa said apart from the numerous appointments, the Majority leader in the state House of Assembly, Joseph Albasu Kunini and the new Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers NUT, Peter Julius Vau are of Bakula extraction, saying that the Bakula community owe the present administration a depth of gratitude for finding them worthy to be partners in progress in the scheme of things in the state.

He commended Governor Ishaku for the giant strides recorded so far, most especially, the Agricultural revolution that is ongoing in the state, construction of roads including feeder roads, renovations of hospitals, schools, employment of nurses, midwives and health worker and recently, the Rescue Mission added to its feats, the employment of three thousand teachers 3000, christening them as unprecedented achievements that needs sincere commendation from all and sundry and which Bakula community wish to associate with.

The President of Bakula community congratulated Governor Ishaku for the well deserved award bestowed on him by NULGE and ALGON, stressing that it has lend credence to his meritorious achievements in the state and his unique leadership skills styles that have helped repositioned the state.

Cyprian Bandawa used the opportunity to inform the Governor on the Bakula National Youths Summit and Cultural shows slated for December 15th to 16th, 2017 and to officially intimate the Governor that he will be the special guest of honor during the two day event.

Similarly, the President told the Governor that Joseph Albasu Kunini is a worthy representative of the Bakula people, saying that he is always there whenever his people needs him and further assured the Governor that the Bakula people since 1999 have always identified with the PDP and will continue support PDP asserting that their Bakula votes in 2019 will be intact for him.