Taraba Facts

  The National Industrial Court holden at Jos has on Thursday, commenced hearing on the case between the Taraba State Government and 18 employees of the defunct Taraba Publishing Company Ltd. The employees sued the state government over the non-payment of their salaries since 2014, amounting to N79,917,507.60, and discrimination on the basis of their states of origin. They also claimed that while indigenes were absorbed into the civil service, they were abandoned by the government without any formal disengagement. The case came up for mention before Justice P.A Bassi with the suit number: NICN/JOS/12/2021 with Hosea Yunana and 17 others as claimants and Executive Governor of Taraba State, Taraba State Government, the Attorney General of Taraba State, Taraba State Commissioner for Information and the Taraba Publishing Company Ltd as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants respectively. During the session, Counsel to the claimants, A.Y Shagaiya Esq., told the judge that the 1st, 2nd, 3...

COMMUNITY members and commuters on the vital Takum-Kahimbilla Road in Taraba State, a major link road between the northern states and Cameroun, are finding it extremely difficult to connect with the rest of the state following the collapse of the road, which was constructed by the Shehu Shagari administration over 42 years ago. The increased rainfall in recent months has not only washed away portions of the road by has also cut off most of the users due to the emergence of deep ponds, potholes and gully erosion, thereby preventing heavy trucks and cars that covey farm produce from the mainly agricultural belt to the state capital and other parts of the country. Arewa Voice gathered that aside the damage done by gully erosion, activities of heavy duty trucks that convey construction materials to the Kashimbilla Power Plant site also contributed to the deplorable state of the road. As a result of the poor state of the vital road, commuters are now forced to manoeuvre through swathes of b...

... Mubaraq To Appeal The Judgment of FHC? A Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, on Tuesday, sacked the Member representing Bali/Gasol federal constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Mubarak Gembo. The presiding judge, Justice Simon Amonbita, in his four-hour ruling, ordered that the Certificate of Return issued to Gembo by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) be withdrawn immediately. The Judge noted that unless a candidate participates in the process of an election, he or she can not be issued a certificate of return by INEC as in the case of Gembo. The court further ordered Gembo to stop parading himself as the Member representing Bali, Gasol federal constituency in the House of Representatives. The presiding judge also ordered Gembo to return all the monies collected by him as salary and allowances since assumption of office as Member of House of Representatives since he used fraudulent means of obtaining the certificate of return from I...

The Taraba State government has approved the upward review of the 82 kilometer Mararaba-Baissa Abong road from over 5billion naira to over 6billion naira. Commissioner of Information and Reorientation  Danjuma Adda announced this after the State Executive Council Meeting headed by Governor Darius Ishaku said the review was approved in view of the significance of the road. He stated that the Mararaba￾Baissa Abong road project is very critical to the heart of the State Governor because of the potency for economic growth as a result of the Mambilla Hydro Power Project. The Commissioner assured people of the State of timely completion of the project. Explaining further, Commissioner of Works Irimiya Ibrahim Hammanjulde  disclosed that the upward review of the contract followed increase in the initial contract by CCECC Construction Company handling one of the three lots as a result of inflation and cost of construction materials. He said the road is very important because of its cl...

Panic gripped residents of Jalingo, Taraba State  capital over raising cases of missing persons reported in the metropolis in recent time as one among the latest victim was found slaughtered to death in a maize farm within the state capital. According to unconfirmed reports 26 People were Lost in Taraba State out of which 13 are from Jalingo three people were found murdered and the rest are still missing. Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper gathered that most cases of missing persons happens in the night, ATC, New CBN Bye Pass and other isolated areas around J alingo Mr Sulaiman Musa Kantiyel, a Taxi driver whose house is located at Anguwan Gaadi, in the heart of Jalingo went missing on Thursday16 October when he left his house at about 10 pm for his Taxi job, which he runs due to the night restriction on tricycle in the city. Suleiman’s lifeless body was found in a maize farm at Deeper Life Camp Bye￾Pass on two days later with his hands to his back and slaughtered in cold blood....

  Vehicles plying Takum, the country home of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba and the road leading to Ussa local government council, were earlier today left stranded when floods took over the roads. The flood, caused by a heavy downpour also brought business activities in the two local governments to a standstill as access to businesses premises were totally blocked. Houses and other valuables including farm produce, were not spared. Some residents were also forced to relocate to public places following the flood. Commenting on the incident a member representing Ussa Constituency in the state House of Assembly Habila Anderufun , asked the state government to as a matter of urgency come to the aides of affected persons. He said ”So many residential houses have being affected the situation is making life difficult for the people ” He called on the state government to direct the state road construction and maintenance agency to rehabilitate the roads to ease the trauma faced b...

  Dreams of no fewer than Nine Hundred and eighty students who were duly admitted into the Taraba State University to pursue their academics have been dashed. This followed their inability to register within the specified period of time and participate in the just-concluded matriculation exercise carried out by the institution. The school Vice-Chancellor, Professor Vincent Ado Tenebe who confirmed the withdrawal of their admission letters, said out of the 5,870 students recently given admission, only 4, 890 only 4, 890 registered and took the matriculation oath. DAILY POST findings showed that 980 of the students admitted did not register or physically appear during the matriculation. By the institution’s tradition, the students who had failed to present themselves for the matriculation, automatically lose their admissions into the institution. ” This is because matriculation is the actual induction and oath-taking to verify that one has become a bonafide student of an institution,...

Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State has agreed that former employees of the defunct Nigerian Beverages production company limited will all be paid their entitlements. The gesture, he said, will reach out to those who have been identified by the committee earlier put in place to screen former workers of the defunct company which is located in Kakara community of Sardauna council of the state. The governor, who stated this on Friday while receiving the report of the ex-gratia payment of backlog of salaries owed the ex-staff of the Highland Tea, said the company has assisted the state in reducing the high rate of youth unemployment in the state. Demonstrating his resolve to settle the entitlements of the former workers of the beverages company, the sum of N30 million, he said has been approved by his administration for the payments. Elated by the reduction in unemployment with the company “in Kakara” he said “our women and youths are gainfully employed.” Stressing how his decis...

  After a mid-term performance review, President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday dismissed two ministers. Out are Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Sabo Nanono and Minister of Power Saleh Mamman. the President redeployed Minister of Environment Muhammed Mahmood Abubakar, who replaces Nanono in Agriculture Ministry and Minister of State (Works and Housing) Abubakar Aliyu to take over from Mamman in the Power Ministry. Ministers were shocked when the announcement was made at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. Sources told  The Nation  that the ministers were fired for poor performance and unfavourable security report on their activities. The erstwhile Power minister missed the power generation target. He failed to take it beyond where it was when he took over,” a source explained. Nanono, the former Agriculture Minister, was found to have reversed the gains made by the ministry between 2015 and 2019. Unknown to other ministers, President had informed the...

  Anxiety mounted in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State when the news of the sack of Sale Mammah as minister for power by President Muhammadu Buhari filtered in. Some party members in the state who spoke to LEADERSHIP said the news came as a shock, stating that the president must search for another committed APC member to refill the position. Though the chairman APC Taraba State Ibrahim El-Suldi refused to comment on the sack of the minister, LEADERSHIP gathered that some of the top members of the party were already in a rush to Abuja to push for replacement. “I don’t have a comment now. El-Suldi stated when contacted. Chief David Sabo Kente, a staunch member of the party and APC governorship hopeful described the sack as shock, he said Taraba State chapter of APC did not expect the news as at the time it came. “The prerogative of the appointment of a minister lies in the hands of the president, though it is shocking to some of us because he is one of us and...

  On this auspicious occasion of the 30th anniversary of the creation of Taraba State, I wish to join all of you – the good people of the state – in thanking God for this milestone in the life of our dear state and for the remarkable progress recorded during this period. The creation of the state 30 years ago was, no doubt, a watershed in the social and economic lives of the people. It has quickened the pace of social and economic development. The state now has expansive and functional educational institutions with a highly rated state university – Taraba State University -  as the icing cake of this progress. Our schools are among the best in the country and our WAEC performance statistics occupy the number one position in the entire Northern states.  The state can also now boast of a good network of urban and rural roads and an airport, all of which have made movement of people and goods a lot easier, safer and more comfortable.  Access to health facilities has bee...

  No fewer than seven people have been confirmed dead following an outbreak of what is suspected to be cholera in Tella Town, Gassol local government area of Taraba. The state Commissioner for health, Dr. Innocent Vakkai, who confirmed the incident in Jalingo, on Monday, also disclosed that several others had been hospitalized in health care centres in the area with symptoms of severe stooling and vomiting. Vakkai said that a team of medical experts from the state ministry of health had been dispatched to the area to investigate the cases and report back. Similarly, the Chairman of Gassol Local Government council, Alhaji Musa Chul, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview that at least 25 persons were on admission at the Tella maternity clinic as a result of the symptoms they showed which looked like cholera. He confirmed receiving a report from Tella on Saturday evening that three people had died of vomiting and strolling, and that on Sunday morn...

The leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN has begun a new synergy with the law enforcement agencies, aimed at fighting insecurity across the country. The leadership of the association on Sunday handed over 11 suspected kidnappers and gun runners to the Taraba State Police Commissioner, Mr Abimbola Sokoya, at Maraban kunini, according to Daily Trust. The suspects were presented during the formal inauguration of a 16-man committee set up to tackle criminal activities, especially kidnapping. The chairman of the MACABAN in the state, Sahabi Tukur, said  this was done in response to pledge made before the Emir of Muri, Alhaji Abbas Tafida, and state Commissioner of police that they will expose criminal elements among them. He said the committee members drawn from all the Fulani clans in the state would work along with police and other security agents in all the 16 local government areas  of the state to fish out kidnappers and other criminals. T...

Taraba State Governor, Arch Darius Dickson Ishaku at the weekend attended a wedding ceremony of his nephew in Kenya with a large entourage of about 40 people. The entourage consisting of close family members, the Secretary to government, about four commissioners, political aides, traditional rulers and lawmakers from the state house of Assembly attended the ceremony held at Carnivore Nairobi. Taraba Truth and Facts checks revealed that the Kenya trip could have cost the Taraba State Government about N30 MILLION on air fare only, as a return ticket from Nigeria to Nairobi, Kenya cost averagely about N800,000 while estacode in hundreds of thousands were given to the wedding guests.  This newspaper gathered that the fund for the trip was provided by Taraba State Water and Sewerage Corporation, TAWASCO and the State  government. A close government source said all board members of the state water agency with management staff attended the wedding in Kenya alongside a three days lead...

  Abdull Adam Bello✍🏼✍🏼 Hon. Barister Yahuza Jalingo and his primary assignment Hon Yahuza Jalingo is a legislator and the legislature is that organ of the government which passes the laws of the government. It is the organ which has the responsibility to formulate the will of the state and vest it with legal authority and force. In simple words, the legislature is that organ of the government which formulates laws.      While democracy is all about ensuring popular participation and control of the process of government. Since all the people cannot participate all the same time. The entrust this right and duties to an elected few among them known as legislators it is interesting to begin by saying that when referring to Democratic governance, whether parliamentary or presidential, the organ of government that captures the mind most is the legislature.      From the above explanations on democracy, legislator difination one will not deny the fact that...

 Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University chapter, on Saturday, threatened to resume its suspended strike over alleged poor implementation of the 2021 Memorandum of Action (MoA) it signed with the state government and the institution’s management. This was contained in a statement issued by the union’s Chairman, Dr Samuel Shikaa in Jalingo. The statement said that the university staffers had found themselves in a precarious condition after the suspension of the last industrial action, as fractional payment of salaries and non-implementation of promotion still persisted. According to the union, five months after the suspension of the industrial action, the only positive action taken regarding the MoA is the election of deans in the various faculties. “Before the industrial action was suspended, the N35 million agreed upon was released for Earned Academic Arrears (EAA) while the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 sessions’ promotion arrears were paid. “Today, the N10...

We, the undersigned have watched the recent deterioration of Taraba state administration under Ach. Darius Dickson Ishaku with growing alarm. Specifically, we have watched with, deep concern as he keeps retaining selected civil servants whom their years of service is due, which we consider such act as radical changes to our known civil service procedures, revealing his unproven and intentional destructive intentions in Taraba state. Your excellency Ach. Darius Dickson Ishaku, these initiatives of your agenda which are negatively transforming several sectors in the state does not longer meet the minimum conditions for a true democratic system, hence, we are now at risk, and it is not just our venerated institutions and norms that are at risk, but our future national standing, strength, and ability to compete globally. Permit us to deal with few of your strategic games of looting the state treasury by retaining your foot soldiers among others like; Mr Audu Chindo the permanent secret...

The aim of higher institutions is to provide an environment for research and learning as well promoting good conduct and morals. Sadly, Taraba State Polytechnic has become an epicentre of ethnic crisis and violent conflicts between Jukun and Kuteb ethnic groups, JOHN MKON writes  A few words of welcome on Taraba State Polytechnic’s official site states that “law and order must be maintained to create a conducive atmosphere for academic success and progress.” The institution management also maintained that it is the polytechnic’s responsibility not only to educate students but to guide their personal development into useful citizens, adding that knowledge has meaning only if it enables its possessors to live a fuller life which must include behavior responsibility to self and society. However, amidst the upsurge of ethnic clashes in the institution all hands must be on deck to checkmate the scourge to achieve the institution’s objectives which include “to provide full-time courses o...