By Abdulrazak Iliyasu Sansani
I had not written anything for publication in a while. I had been occupied with things that reduced my little intervention on critical issues, which I have done over the years. However, I believe it won’t be right if I do not express myself and forward my position at this material time for posterity. This may be misconstrued or rightly received as my little contribution to the progress of our beloved state.
Governor Agbu Kefas’s administration has started on a good footing based on the yardstick of development in nature’s gift to the nation. The last few years have been extremely tough for Nigeria as a nation. This was compounded in the state by how the previous administration had handled the affairs of the state.
Hence, it is a complete deviation from the recent past and a potentially breakthrough moment for the state that has everything to be one of the most developed states, with years of constant progress judging by how endowed the state is.
However, despite modest attempts by successive administrations, the state has not sailed through. Thus, it is yet to prevail over the tempestuous murky waters of politics, let alone be set for developmental strides worthy of the state’s potentialities.
Governor Agbu Kefas came into power at the most polarised moment in our history. The state was sharply divided along religious, toxic partisan, and ethnic lines. All those in the state during the electioneering period witnessed it as akin to a war. The worst of Tarabans came to bear most glaringly. The quest for power destroyed relationships that had taken decades to build.
Therefore, the next governor of Taraba would meet strenuous tasks and a problematic start that could threaten to crumble what was left of the state. It would take extraordinary leadership acumen to overcome those things that have characteristically held up the state.
On 29 May 2023, Gov. Agbu Kefas assumed office as the governor of Taraba State, having been declared the winner of the 18 March 2023 Gubernatorial election. Legal battles ensued, and questions were raised about the credibility of the electoral victory. This is a major blame game point for leaders who do not want to work.
One that could be used as an excuse to cover for incompetence and outright leadership failure. However, the governor chose otherwise to lessen the heated polity and unite the people by inclusion. This resolve to give Tarabans a sense of belonging by appointing more diverse Tarabans into various offices across the state has given Tarabans a new lease of life to participate more in acts that move the state forward. Of course, the hitherto neglected have every reason to believe things can improve.
This ushered in an era when abandoned projects like the modern abattoir in Wuro Sembe, the most sought-after minimum wage that some states had implemented, and Taraba joined that masses-centred list with the governor’s pronouncement on the implementation of minimum wage.
The removal of the Petroleum Subsidy by Mr President, a single decision that has had far-reaching consequences on our economy, the people of Taraba state received the news of the implementation of the minimum wage with utter joy， as it would help in cushioning the effects of the hardship， pending on the completion of discussion on a new minimum wage to meet the realities of the moment by the Federal government and the labour union.
Governor Dantala Kefas has done relatively well in so many sectors that I am brimming with hope of a new, better, more inclusive Taraba where every Taraban can aspire to become anything and live in an atmosphere conducive to their personal growth and collective development. This is most apparent in the education sector, where I am most concerned.
The Kefas administration has made education the cornerstone of its agenda. This has proved not mere rhetoric, as primary and secondary education have been free. This has drastically reduced the number of out-of-school children, reducing the likelihood of having children who could constitute a nuisance to society and fundamentally helping the state’s security. The administration has slashed a whopping 50℅ of the tuition fees in the state-owned tertiary institutions, reducing the financial burden on the parents in this cash-strapped country.
The administration has gone ahead to effect some major infrastructure changes, renovating and building infrastructures in the state’s owned institutions: Taraba State University, College of Nursing and Midwifery, and College of Agriculture, which had yarned for development for decades, with little executed. Education is the bedrock of all development, as it is widely known and accepted. The Kefas administration has gotten it right by making it a core part of its administration agenda and going ahead and walking the talk.
Recently, the governor decided that all government principals would be given official cars. I have seen some objecting to it. I think it is the right step in the right direction. Teachers are nation builders and deserve to be treated as such. If elected and appointed government officials are given official vehicles, and we see nothing wrong with that, we should see nothing wrong with the same treatment to provide principals, who toil to pass knowledge and incalculate morals that build students who shape the destiny of our nation.
For Gov. Agbu Kefas, he has started well, given our history as a state, the state’s debt profile and the nation’s economic challenges. I can only employ him to do more, especially in areas of rural roads. This will open up the state more, allowing local farmers to sell their farm produce without much hassle. This singular effort will create room for more investors to come in. Agriculture alone can change the economic narrative of our state, let alone combined with other sectors, such as tourism and mining, to mention a few.
I come from a farming community, Sansani, Wuro Jam Ward, Gassol Local government, which has an unmotorable road. A deathtrap has hindered the village’s substantial Agricultural potential and denied so many farmers an opportunity to enjoy their hard-earned money. Massive amounts are always kept to pay exorbitant fares to transport their produce to the nearest big market.
Taraba is an Agrarian state. Farming communities like Sansani, Gassol, Wuro Jam, Sendirde, Takalafiya, Sheka, Dakka, Karim Lamido, and Kurmi, to mention a few, deserve to have good and qualitative roads that open up the state for more economic activities and accelerated economic growth， which translate to actual economic development. Governor Kefas has started well. He should not deviate. I admonish him to keep increasing the tempo; he will leave a good legacy. Power is transient.
Abdulrazak Iliyasu Sansani is a former TV Presenter and producer at Haske TV， Jalingo， Taraba State.