Governor Darius Ishaku’s Mid-Term report card is out and looking excellent, as the architect governor celebrates two years on the saddle. The governor’s scored highly with water, agriculture, youth empowerment, commerce, and in internal peace/security. In the water sector, for instance, the governor came first in a nation wide survey. In the area of security, the governor has also scored well in ensuring prompt response to the national malaise of herdsmen invasion and other terrorist attacks.
Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to Governor Ishaku, Emmanuel Bello, while making these assertions, said that even critics of the administration are gradually coming to terms with Ishaku’s determination to change the narratives.
In a press statement, Bello noted that, “the last two years have been a roller coaster ride of experiences. We all know how the governor came in and the legal/ court troubles that followed. If he were another run-of-the-mill politician, he would have been distracted and remain distracted. But see what he has been doing, especially lately after the court cases. There are always complaints and the governor acknowledges he genuine ones. But on the core job of delivering on his mandate, let’s be fair and balanced, Governor Ishaku has done excellently well and shocked his traducers. I think they are only too proud to admit they have been wrong about him all along. Governor Ishaku has broken new grounds, for instance, with the greenhouse project and has revived many comatose industries. An example is the kakara tea factory on the Mambilla Plateau that has brought back our collective pride: the Highland Tea. Another new ground Governor Ishaku broke is the airport that he opened up for commercial use. Before he came, Yola was our only route for air transport. He came and changed that overnight by opening the Jalingo airport for all to use. So now even his critics use the same airport and come into town to say the governor has accomplished nothing. It is almost laughable.”
On the challenge with salaries, Bello announced that Gov Ishaku is bent to solving the problem in the best tradition of conflict resolutions. He said, “all salary earners to rest assured that their sweat would not be in vain, especially teachers whom the governor hold in high esteem. The governor doesn’t want another person or a few people to be eating from their labour. We have now solved a big problem: a situation where a greedy few would be cornering people’s money. It was a cartel. They first employ people. Then they start eating up their emoluments. The scam had all the trappings of crime and vice involving both big men and small people. Governor Ishaku has burst them all and they ferociously fought back. All salary arrears shall be settled. At the state level, the governor is not oweing workers. Even pension. It is at the local government level that the challenge exists. We are getting to its roots.”
Bello said Governor Ishaku looks forward to the next years of the administration to consolidate on progress made. “Taraba people are very wonderful, full of patience and understanding. That’s why the governor has rededicated himself to making their lives better. In the next coming years, he would continue the people oriented policies which is ensuring better security, more drinking water in homes, more farmer friendly infrastructure, more students friendly policies and others that would make our state play a central role in national progress.”