Insecurity: Taraba Gov Kefas meet with traditional rulers

EMMANUEL AWARI,Jalingo

 

Governor Kefas Agbu of Taraba state has met with traditional rulers in his efforts towards finding lasting solutions to the happenings in the state, especially insecurity.

He said, “I called for this meeting with you today with deep respect and a sense of concern on the happenings in Taraba state.

“I am aware and I know that my emergence as governor of Taraba state is with the blessings of our royal fathers seated here. You all stood by me with prayers, you came out to vote, and that is why I am here today. So I want to thank you for that”.

He pointed out that as custodians of the rich culture,  cultural heritage and the pillars of the communities; of his administration, their guidance and wisdom are invaluable in addressing the pressing challenges that are confronting the state.

“Today, I wish to address critical issues of insecurity, the need for collaboration and the urgent need to curb illegal mining activities.

According to him, Taraba state, like many parts of our great nation, has been grappling with the scourge of insecurity, the rising cases of banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, and farmer-herder conflicts, which have caused immense pain and sufferings to our people.

“The loss of innocent lives, displacement of communities and destruction of properties have cast a dark cloud over our once peaceful state. It is our collective responsibility to confront these challenges head-on and restore peace and security to our state.

 

According to him, “In the face of such adversities, unity and collaboration becomes paramount. We must set aside our differences to embrace dialogue and work together to find a lasting solution”.

 

He implored the traditional rulers to harness their influence, bring their communities together, and foster an atmosphere of understanding and cooperation, by fostering peace at the grassroots level.

“You can pave the way for a harmonious and prosperous state. As I said earlier, as the custodians of our traditions and culture, you possess a unique power to shape the hearts and minds of our people”, he added.

The Governor urged them to utilize their power to promote peace, discourage violence, and encourage youth engagement in productive activities, by leading by example and promoting the values of tolerance, respect and peaceful coexistence.

 

“We can create a society where every citizen can feel secure, and go about their productive endeavours.

“Your Royal Highnesses, our Royal Fathers that I hold in very high esteem, another pressing issue here that requires our immediate attention is the rampant spread of illegal mining activities in our state.

“While mining holds great potential for economic growth, the unregulated and illegal mining practices pose a significant threat to our environment, economic, and social values. These activities lead to environmental degradation, health hazards and exploitation of vulnerable communities.

“It is imperative that we put an end to these illegal activities by strengthening our regulatory framework, improving enforcement mechanisms and enhancing collaboration among relevant sectors, and by ensuring responsible mining practices in curbing illegal operations, we can harness the wealth beneath our soil while safeguarding our environment for the future generation.

“Our Royal Fathers, in conclusion, therefore, I am speaking to you today not only as your Governor but also as a concerned citizen of Taraba state. Together, we can address these security challenges that confront us. We can foster collaboration together and put out things that hinder us.

He urged them to embrace the call for unity, wisdom and community engagement to build a Taraba state that is safe, prosperous and sustainable.

“May the bonds of our shared heritage strengthen our resolve and may our collective effort bear fruits in securing a better future for Taraba state – he said.

In another development, the Governor has called on Permanent Secretaries to function well as the engine room of their respective Ministries, Boards and Agencies pending the appointment of Commissioners to head them.

He stated this while addressing Permanent Secretaries at the Government House, Jalingo.

 

“As part of our government’s activities, I called you here today for a briefing. If you can recall, a few days ago I went through the State Secretariat. Some of you were in the office and were not there. Let me assume you went for other official functions.

“It is very important that I should be seeing you people almost every day. Since you are not coming, I decided to ask you to come. So, before you have your Commissioners, you have to function. And I am not seeing you, so I decided I will see you.

“Even though we have spent so much time today, we won’t be able to go into all the details, however, for those that have their briefings concerning their Ministries, you will try to submit them through the Head of Service.

He said that the government is working on trying to be specific in its dealings, adding that there will be a need for it to merge some of the ministries for proper results.

“So we have more directorates or departments. It will help you to train and retrain people to be able to know and carry out their jobs effectively.

“So, we have plenty of commissioners, and some of them will be confused along the line as time goes on, but when you have a permanent secretary in the ministry with four, three, six directorates, and a division of labour and specialization; see, it becomes more effective. So, we are working on that.

He disclosed that the government will still consult some of them and that it will get the best out of them.

“So, just briefly, if you have your report, you will submit it, and then, we will ask one or two questions and then we will close for the day but will be interacting from time to time. Is that okay”, he added.

 

For a better society

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