My Dear Fellow Citizens of Taraba State,
Through the mercy and grace of God Almighty, we have seen yet another New Year today. It is with this gratitude that I greet and felicitate with you all. I bid you all to return all honour and glory to God for seeing us through the year 2017 in spite of our challenges.
Even though 2017 was a year full of promises to be fulfilled, needs to be met, and hope to be realized, it also brought with it some financial and security challenges. In terms of the financial challenges, you would recall the low national revenue occasioned by the crash in global oil prices that triggered the fall in revenue in 2016. This situation spilled over to 2017 and continued to have dare consequences on our social, economic, and political lives. As a result, His Excellency, President Mohammadu Buhari had to make a clarion call on Nigerians to go back to farm as government pushed for diversification of the country’s economy away from dependence on oil.
On our part, the Taraba State Government consolidated on its gains in supporting the sesame seed value chain programme, the dry season rice farming Anchor Borrowers Scheme, the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and Fadama III. Our efforts towards the promotion of agriculture as main driver of our economy saw to the completion and commissioning of the Green House Project in Jalingo, with products such as cucumber, tomato, and a variety of pepper which are now feeding our local markets in Taraba State, and reaching out to urban markets in Port Harcourt, Lagos, and Abuja. The green house itself generates internal revenue and offers direct and indirect employment to our teeming women and youths.
Fellow citizens of Taraba State, in view of the developmental challenges staring us in the face, this administration has continued to explore all available avenues to improve on our revenue generation and to embark on prudent management of available resources. We have also made efforts to leverage on partnerships to carry on capital projects such as major and rural roads construction, rural electrification, and the improvement of the Jalingo Airport. The provision of critical consumables in the education, health and water sectors have continued to be at the front burner of this administration. The Women and Youth Empowerment Programme is on course, and will be pursued with sustained vigor in 2018.
In 2017, we had to grapple with a number of security challenges that affected Ussa, Takum, Lau, Karim Lamido and Sardauna local government areas. These attacks brought with them disruptions in the socio-economic lives of our people in those communities. To the glory of God, the combined efforts of the State government, traditional rulers and security agencies ensured that the crises were promptly contained. As we step into the New Year, this administration will increase its focus on guaranteeing peace and security of lives and properties of citizens and all law abiding inhabitants within the borders of Taraba State. We must however appreciate that peace is a collective responsibility. Our stakeholders, especially traditional rulers, ward heads, religious leaders, as well as community and opinion leaders across the state must endeavor to play their roles with all sense of responsibility.
As we take a bold and audacious step into 2018, I see a challenge and an opportunity. I see a challenge because time seems to be running fast; I see an opportunity because, it is yet another chance to gain grounds on our promises made to the citizens. We shall therefore continue to fervently seek ways and means internally, and to leverage on resources from development partners as well as private sector investors for synergy in order to maximize the impact on our socio-economic growth and development.
My fellow citizens of Taraba State, as I gladly welcome you to this New Year, I wish you all a very prosperous 2018.
Happy New Year;!
Long Live Taraba State!
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Thank you all and God bless.
Nelson C. Len
SA New Media Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku
