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Tag: Darius Dickson Ishaku

  • Peace remains most critical need – Ishaku

    Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku on Tuesday reminded Muslims that peace remains the most critical need in Nigeria especially in Taraba State where many residents have died and thousands displaced from their ancestral homes to crisis.

    He spoke in a statement while rejoicing with Muslims on the Eid-el-Kabir. “I wish all Muslims a happy, peaceful and delightful Eid-el-Kabir celebration,” the statement said.

    The governor’s Sallah felicitation message was delivered by his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media and Publicity, Bala Dan Abu.

    “I rejoice with the Muslim Ummah in Taraba State as they join their counterparts in Nigeria and all over the world to mark this year’s Eid-el-Kabir.

    Read Also: Ortom, Ishaku call for restructuring

    “Peace remains the most critical need of the state and this can only be achieved and sustained if the people remain united against the agents of destabilisation; against those who are bent on causing breakdown of law and order in the land,” the governor said.

    Ishaku prayed for “Allah’s abundant blessings and benevolence upon Nigerians.” He thanked God for the gift of life, and reminded Sallah celebrants of the need for them to continue to work very hard for peace in Taraba and the country.

    The governor re-assured them of government’s commitment to his “rescue agenda” which he noted, has already impacted positively in job creation and skills acquisition and also led to unprecedented improvements in WAEC scores by Taraba students.

    “The provision of water to more than 250 communities, renovation and re-equipment of major hospitals in the state and construction of major roads in the three senatorial zone etc, are only a few of the numerous achievements my administration has put in place.

    “In the years ahead, a lot more will be done in terms of service delivery and in support of the welfare of the people. Let me urge all indigenes and non-indigenes of the state to continue to support this administration.”

  • Ishaku to Igbos living in Taraba: Fear not

    Igbos living in Taraba State have no reason to fear, the Governor of Taraba State, Darius Dickson Ishaku, said Monday.
    Ishaku spoke in a statement while expressing the State Government’s regrets over the recent communal clashes in Kwararafa (Dananacha) area of Gassol Local Government which resulted in loss of lives and properties.
    An escalation of violence in the area led to the burning of shops belonging to Igbos.
    The governor sympathised with the Igbo community and other people in the area.
    The statement, signed by the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Bala Dan Abu, added that “the state government took proactive steps, including the timely deployment of security personnel to the scenes of the clashes.
    “This helped in minimizing the extent of the collateral damage that would have resulted from the fighting.
    “But the claim by members of the Igbo community that only shops belonging to them were targeted and attacked is untrue. Statistics available to government do not support that position. In fact, more of the vandalized shops actually belong to non-Igbo people.
    “It is also untrue and grossly unfair for them to also accuse the state government of not doing enough to protect them and their properties during the clashes as they did recently in a petition to Ohaneze, the umbrella Igbo apex organization.
    “The government did everything within its powers on that particular occasion to prevent the crisis from escalating, despite the fact that the fighting started in the night.
    “The Government wishes to assure the Igbo, other non-indigenous ethnic groups and the entire people of Taraba State that they have no reason to fear as it will continue to do everything within its powers, and without discrimination, to ensure the safety of their lives and properties.
    “The government also wishes to remind all people resident in the state that the state is passing through a period of unfortunate security challenges resulting from incidents of herdsmen attacks and killings in some parts of the state and kidnapping.
    “This will require the support and cooperation of all people in the state to tackle.”
    The governor implored all residents in the state to be on the alert and to watch out for “strange elements” who may be on a mission to foment trouble and cause a breakdown of law and order.

  • Taraba governor seeks military cooperation to end insecurity

    The Governor of Taraba State, Darius Dickson Ishaku, has asked for military cooperation to end the insecurity in the country.

    He made the call on Monday when he played host to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar in Government House, Jalingo.

    The Chief of Staff was in Taraba to visit the 23 quick response wing established in Nguroje, a volatile area of Sardauna local government, where a clash between Mambilla natives and Fulani herdsmen left many dead some months ago.

    Ishaku said a synergy between the state government and the armed forces is the solution to insecurity.

    Such a synergy, Ishaku noted, would produce better result if the elite in the country shun petty sentiments and work in the interest of the country.

    While thanking Abubakar for the visit, Ishaku said: “We must synergise and work together to end these killings.

    “I will suggest the establishment of another Air Force unit at the Kashimbilla Dam to secure the Dam and provide security at the border between Nigeria and Cameroon.

    “In Jalingo -the State capital, we need another unit of your men (military troops) to be stationed, to provide us the necessary security.

    Read Also: Air Force deploys Special Forces in Taraba

    “I believe these units are not too much for the state,” he said, pledging the support of the state government to the Nigerian military.

    The governor blamed the level of insecurity in the country on the elite, saying “they (the elite) promote differences that are alien to the local people in the rural areas.”

    He called for a rethink on how to promote peaceful coexistence for the development of the country.

    The chief of Air Staff said the 23 quick response wing will add value to their efforts in combating insecurity.

    He disclosed that the unit will be supported by the air surveillance of the Nigerian Air Force base from Yola and Makurdi for “ultimum efficiency in combating insecurity and other related crimes.”

    Abubakar said he had directed personnel deployed to the state to be friendly with civilians, but to deal decisively with anybody who tries to undermine national security.

    “I am happy that our presence has started adding value already. Over 7,300 residents of Sarduana local government area have benefited from the NAF medical outreach programme conducted in the area.

    “We are constructing a runway in Gembu for easy landing. We shall also establish a fuel refilling centre in Gembu, to ease our operation,” he added.

    The Chief of Air Staff solicited the support and cooperation of Taraba residents to enable them succeed in their operations in the State.

  • Ishaku to Taraba youths: Re-elect me in 2019, I will make you millionaires

    Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, on Tuesday solicited support from the youths for his second term bid. He asked them to re-elect him in next year’s poll, promising he would make them millionaires.

    He spoke during his third year anniversary and Democracy Day celebration held at the Jolly Nyame stadium Jalingo.

    “I want you (the youth) to go out during the election and re-elect us. I will empower you to be millionaires; you will be exporting milk and meat; you will be driving Mercedes Benz, instead of Keke NAPEP,” he said.

    The governor said, in 2015 when he came on board, there was a wailing army of unemployed youth that were doing nothing.

    “Today, over 3000 youths have been employed and thousands empowered through the Rescue Mission’s skills acquisition programme.

    “Those empowered are now self-reliant and have become employers of labour. The story of one Aisha is a good example. She was empowered; she later employed a widow and five other persons and her business is still running.”

    Read Also: Why Taraba ’ll return Ishaku in 2019 – Bawa

    “When you elected me in 2015, you did not know me well. Now, you know who Ishaku is; now, you know who DDI is, who Daram Dam Dam is, because of what I have done for you,” he said.

    Governor Ishaku, who said his administration has done well in the last three years, assured Taraba people he will fulfill all his campaign promises in the remaining year.

    He said, apart from tourism, he has achieved tremendously in all other sectors, including agriculture, education, health and infrastructure, adding that the Nigerian Medical Association gave him award because of the hospital he built in Wukari and the ongoing reconstruction of the hospitals in Bambur and Gembu.

    He noted there was no remarkable achievement in the state’s tourism sector, despite having the most potential, because of insecurity in the country and the fact that the Mambilla Hydroelectric Dam project has not been completed.

    “Some Germans came to invest in tourism in the State, on getting to the mountain in Gembu, they were crazy. But upon hearing news of attacks and killings, they all left,” he said, and added: “if you had given me more peace, the developments would have been more.”

    His deputy, Haruna Manu, said the Ishaku administration, through its Rescue Agenda, has delivered on all its campaign promises.

    Manu thanked all Tarabans who voted for them in 2015 and solicited for continuous support.

  • Ishaku proposes N96.6 billion for 2018 budget

    Ishaku proposes N96.6 billion for 2018 budget

    Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, Thursday presented to the State House of Assembly an appropriation bill of approximately ninety six billion and six hundred million naira (N96.6bn) for the fiscal year 2018.

    The governor also proposed the creation of two ministries -Mining and Power, which he said, will take off in January next year.

    The budget, which he referred to as “The Budget of Sustainable Growth,” represents a decrease of 12.32 percent when compared with last year’s budget of N110.2 billion.

    Ishaku explained that the decrease is because of “lower expected receipts from statutory allocation, value added tax, internally generated revenues (IGR) and revenues.”

    Of the total budget, recurrent expenditure is estimated at N51.2 billion, representing 53.03 percent of the budget, while capital expenditure has N45.4 billion, representing 46.97 percent.

    A further breakdown of the budget shows that works, housing and transport has the lion share of N9.2 billion, about 9.55 percent of the budget.

    Agriculture and natural resources has N5.1 billion; commerce, industry and tourism N490.4 million; rural and community development N2.5 billion; finance and poverty alleviation N4.2 billion; information N1.2 billion and education N5.6 billion.

    Another N5.6 billion is proposed for health; social development N1.1 billion; environment N659.7 million; water resources N2.3 billion and lands and urban development N1.6 billion.

    N3.8 billion is to be expended on the executive arm; N342.9 million on the legislature; law and justice N702.3 million, while general governance has N935.6 million.

    Governor Ishaku said he intends to source the budget funds from IGR estimate of N5.3 billion; federal statutory revenue of N31.5 billion; State share of value added tax (VAT) of N9.2 billion; aids and grants N4.8 billion; refund from the federal government of N30 billion, domestic loan of N11.4 billion and external loan draw-down of N4.2 billion.

    The governor stated that with more resources his administration can perform more, adding that the cardinal objective of the 2018 budget was to set expenditure at a sustainable level as to have the optimum for the majority of the people, thereby channeling 40 percent of the budget to capital development.

    He commended the “robust understanding and cooperation” between the Taraba executive and the legislature, which he said, “has given impetus to carry out the business of governance without any hitch.”

    Taraba State House of Assembly Speaker, Peter Abel Diah, said the governor did a good job this year as “the spending in 2017 budget paid attention to critical infrastructure and specific areas of challenges in the State in line with the budget.”

    The Speaker promised that the Assembly will give the appropriation bill the required attention and speedy passage.

  • Boko Haram infiltrating my state, Gov. Ishaku cries out

    Boko Haram infiltrating my state, Gov. Ishaku cries out

    Taraba state governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku has said that fleeing members of the Boko Haram insurgents were taking refuse in the Bali forest area of the state, posing potential security threat to residents of the state.

    Speaking when he received the Brigade Commander of the 23 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Yolanda, General Bello Abdullahi Mohammed, Governor Ishaku said the presence of the fleeing insurgents who were displaced from the Sambisa forest has led to increase in crime rate in the state.

    He said that as a result of the heat on them by military, the insurgents have fled the Sambisa forest and are now occupying the Bali forest which is equally a vast forest, adding that as a result of that, robbery, kidnapping, rape and other forms of crimes have now become a daily occurrence in all the local governments close to the forest.

    Governor Ishaku also drew the attention of the military to the increasing state of insecurity at the Gashaka Gumpti National Park which is threatening tourism in the state.

    He said criminals have infiltrated the Park, thereby making it unsafe for tourists and called for intervention by the security forces to flush out the criminals to make the Park which has been attracting a lot of local and foreign tourist safe again.

    He commended the military for its role in helping to restore peace to communities affected by communal crises in the state in the past, saying that they were always there any time they were called, even in the wee hours of the night and under  poor weather conditions.

    “This has to be so, because the scope of the crises, sometimes is beyond the police to tackle. The situation now is such that herdsmen carry sophisticated weapons instead of sticks which they were known to carry and they now often overwhelm security agencies sent to confront them”, he said.

    While lamenting the incessant crisis between farmers and herdsmen, Governor Ishaku said in the past, “herdsmen and farmers enjoyed a cordial and symbiotic relationship.

    “Farmers wanted herdsmen to leave their cattle on their farms long enough to eat up grass and remnants of harvested crops and in the process fertilize the farms by excreting their wastes there.

    “Even when the cattle ate the farmers’ crops, the matter was always amicably resolved with the herdsman paying a token compensation. These never resulted in any fight or crisis”, he said

    Speaking earlier, the Brigade Commander, General Mohammed assured the Governor of the preparedness of the army to assist the state in the pursuit of its agenda for peace in the state.

    “Our men are always ready and willing respond any time they are called to help restore peace. He said he will consult with the Governor for advice and guidance in handling security matters always”, he said.

     

  • Appeal Court ruling on Taraba guber election ongoing

    Appeal Court ruling on Taraba guber election ongoing

    Appeal Court ruling on Taraba guber election ongoing.

  • Taraba: Ishaku proposes N68.8 billion rescue budget

    Taraba: Ishaku proposes N68.8 billion rescue budget

    Taraba State Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku on Wednesday presented to the State House of Assembly a budget of sixty eight billion and one hundred and ten million naira (N68.8 bn) for 2016.

    Tagged “The Rescue Budget “, the governor explained that the appropriation bill was prepared bearing in mind “the realities of times.”

    “We can only spend what we have; our projections are conservative and based on what we feel are more certain to accrue within the 2016 fiscal period.”

    A breakdown of the budget has recurrent expenditure of N42.7 billion, representing 62.10 percent, and a capital expenditure of N26 billion, representing 37.90 percent of the budget.

    The governor expects fiscal projections from the traditional revenues of the federal statutory allocations of N35.8 billion, Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) of N5.3 billion, Value Added Tax (VAT) of N8.6 billion, Aids and Grants N5.3 billion, proposed internal loan of N12 billion and external loan draw down of N1.4 billion.

    Ishaku told The Nation that his priority would be in the areas of agriculture, health and peace.

    Housing and urban development had the lion share of N4.8 billion, followed by skills and knowledge enhancement programme with N3.4 billion and governance with N3.4 billion.

    Agriculture was allocated N2.3 billion, health N2.9 billion while roads construction and transportation had N2.4 billion.

    From the bottom on the expenditure is poverty alleviation with N100 million, youth empowerment with N235.8 million, private sector N297 million, gender empowerment N350 million and airways with N500 million.

    The governor disclosed he has directed that a strategic framework for the implementation of his rescue agenda manifesto be developed between now and the end of February 2016, to serve as the basis for the annual budgets of the state from now to 2019.

    To remain focus on the implementation of the agenda, Ishaku said the framework will be linked with the state’s cash flow.

    He added that all the local councils affected by civil unrest in the past years will be given due consideration.

    “Though our current macroeconomic indices which serve as the benchmarks for our medium term projects for 2016 and beyond are not encouraging, we are facing the future with determination and faith to change our fortune as a state,” he said.

    The Deputy Speaker Muhammed Gwampo who presided as the Speaker pro tempo, said “the appropriation bill will be speedily deliberated upon and put into law in the soonest possible time, so that we shall not delay the governor in his agenda of rescuing Taraba state.”