Gov. Darius Ishaku: The Footprint of The Rescue Captain

 

 

 

Unlike some leaders who would as a result of the spate of insecurity bedeviling their domain find it cumbersome to actualize their campaign promises, the reverse is the case in Taraba State, as Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku has rolled up his sleeves to consolidate on achievements recorded in the first four years of his Rescue Mission.

Following his re-election for a second term, Governor Ishaku has not allowed the present security situation in some parts of the state to derail his Rescue Mission as he continues to bring smiles to the faces of the people.

The continuous hostility in the Southern part of the state is believed it is being sponsored by some few persons whom according to close watchers are working tirelessly around the clock to frustrate his administration from bringing to the doorsteps of the people the much-promised dividends of democracy when he was seeking for re-election in the ongoing political dispensation, he said would not deter him from treading the right paths.

Holding tenaciously to this, Ishaku who has been using all the little available resources at his disposal to do the needful has no doubt recorded unprecedented and unbeatable achievements since ascending the number one position of the state for the second term.

Some individuals who bared their minds to our correspondent in the state identified the governor's political sagacity as a key attribute that was outstanding.

Reeling out some of his achievements within the last one year, transparency and accountability, which hallmarked his administration, the people believed were unprecedented in the state's history, adding that Governor Ishaku-led administration has raised the bar of good governance in the state.

According to one of the chieftain of the major opposition political party  who would not want his name in print for fear of being accused of anti-party activity, said the presence of many construction sites across  the state is a major testimony that his the government is working hard to deliver on its campaign promises, "we only hope that this tempo will be sustained till 2023."

A member of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in the state  Adamu Aliyu Bantaji said the government is focusing more on-road infrastructures, "in the last one year, we have witnessed a renewed vigor from the Governor to construct more roads, the road from Mararaba to Abong is under construction and the contractors are working hard to deliver within the stipulated time. Also, in the Wukari-Tsukundi road, you see the contractor there is busy working despite the ongoing restiveness between the Tiv and Jukun in that area, the work is advancing. Similarly, road expansion from Sibire to Jalingo is also ongoing. This will give the state capital a facelift, it is as well no doubt yielding positive results as contractors assigned with the responsibility of dualizing the Jalingo road, have not only moved their heavy-duty machines to the sites but have as well begun transforming  Jalingo metropolis."

More striking of all the endless lists of his recent achievements includes his quests to tread extra

 

legitimate miles to make available to the people portable water across the state.

Not debarred by the ongoing lockdown necessitated by Covid-19, Ishaku signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States Agency for International Development ( USAID) to improve the management and delivery of Water and Sanitation, WASH, services in the state.

Stressing that his administration is working hard to ensure that reliable water and sanitation services reach 90 percent of the state before the end of its second tenure, the essence of entering a partnership with the aforementioned International Organization, according to him "is to help the people of the state live healthier lives through reliable access to clean water.

The program which will also provide access to piped clean water to, at least, 500,000 households, the governor said these will be achieved by improving the water board's financial viability and strengthening policy, institutional and regulatory frameworks for better WASH service delivery.

Unlike other governors who have been hiding under the virus to deny the electorates the dividends of democracy, the USAID Mission Director, Stephen M. Haykin, could not hide his feelings over the passion of the governor to continue to reach out to the people of the state despite all odds.

According to him "COVID-19 pandemic has added greater emphasis to the importance of water sanitation and hygiene" affirming that "the collaboration marked by this agreement will help Taraba chart a part towards a better performing water board and will raise the quality of services for the health of their customers."

Apart from his mapped out plans to relocate the government house to a befitting location within the state capital, Governor Ishaku is also not taking the issue of education lightly. He embarked on massive construction and renovation of public schools across the state to ensure students are taught in a well conducive environment.  

His efforts to reposition the sector have no doubt begin to yield results as the state has been performing wonderfully in all the national examinations bringing glory and academic laurels to the state. The state recently emerged as the best performing State in the North East at the 2019 West African Council Examination, WAEC.

Attesting to this, senior staff in the Ministry of Education, attributed Taraba's outstanding performance in international competitions to 'serious investments' of Governor Ishaku to the education sector. The  senior staff said, "we have improved in our education sector since Governor Ishaku came on board and it is very worthy to say that our primary school enrollments have also increased, the government has taken many children off the streets to the classroom in the last five years, currently the state runs a school program on air to engage students with their academics during this lockdown."

 Ishaku's desire is to see a state where people talk less about religions and tribal issues but focus on one indivisible state. He demonstrated his belief in uniting and strengthening Tarabans by successfully involving all the tribes in the running of the affairs of his administration.

 "It is also on record that in the history of the state, Ishaku ranks among the most committed in terms of uniting the various ethnic groups. Forget the propaganda of the opposition and the mischief of the disgruntled — Ishaku has the most diverse cabinet, he has appointed more people from other parts of the state, rather than his own ethnic group.

Unlike in the past when governors always gave certain positions to their kinsmen and women, as observed by our correspondent, bucked the trend by making critical appointments.

The Ishaku administration has also conscientiously worked to consolidate democracy in the nooks and crannies of the state. The most tangible achievements believed to have been recorded in recent time by the governor was said to be in the Rule of Law and fundamental freedom and liberty to all Tarabans.

Other facets of the state affairs also have Ishaku's imprints as a visionary leader. Under Ishaku, more rural communities are being connected to electricity through various agencies of government but also witnessing a transformation in all sectors.

Early this year Governor Ishaku while commissioning the first component of the electrification project of Mutum-Biyu town and its environs, said the project will provide electricity to the Mutum-Biyu community, adding the electrification would boost economic activities of the area and state in general. 

Ishaku, who was represented at the commissioning by his Deputy, Eng Haruna Manu, explained that the second and final component of the project which is 7.5KVA injection substation would soon be completed. The substation will have three feeders that would supply electricity to Mutum-Biyu and its environment as well as Garba Chede and Gassol town respectively. 

The recent transformation of the Agric sector was also observed to have brought to an end the several decades of corruption in fertilizer and seed distribution as farmers as they now access them directly.

Also at the  grassroots level, rural communities are experiencing top notch rural infrastructural  development as  overtly seen through the CSDP, a development initiative created to meet the renovation and reconstruction infrastructural needs in the state.

 

. The renovation of a Block Classroom directly behind the pavilion and another adjacent it has reached 60% completion and work is still ongoing on the two Classroom Blocks.

 

Community  infrastructure ranging from schools,  grading and opening of rural roads,  bridges, culverts and health facilities in line with the  Rescue Agenda of Governor Ishaku to rescue from acute rural infrastructural decay.

 

"If we don't put our heads together and work towards peaceful co-existence, many gains of the current administration may be eroded, the crisis between the Jukun and the Tivs in Southern zone is a major drawback to the development of that area and ironically political leaders who should support government peace efforts are busy playing selfish politics by frustrating everything that can return peace to Southern Zone," Adamu said.