FG Reaffirms Partnership With Taraba to Unlock Economic Potential

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with the Taraba State Government to unlock the state’s potential in agriculture, energy, tourism, infrastructure and mineral resources.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this on Thursday in Jalingo during a gala night marking Taraba State’s 35th anniversary and the unveiling of the Taraba Regional Development Master Plan.

Idris described the master plan as an important blueprint for sustainable development, stressing that its success would ultimately depend on implementation and its impact on residents.

“The success of this Master Plan will not be measured by the ceremony at which it is unveiled, but by the roads built, businesses created, jobs generated, communities connected and lives improved,” he said.

The minister described Taraba as one of Nigeria’s most promising economic frontiers, highlighting opportunities in agriculture, agro-processing, livestock, hydropower, tourism, manufacturing and mineral development.

He commended Governor Agbu Kefas for investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure, security and economic development, particularly the state’s free and compulsory primary and secondary education policy.

Idris said the Taraba Government had provided more than N1.8 billion in 2026 for NECO, BECE and NABTEB examination registration for public-school students.

He also highlighted approximately $268 million in financing agreements between Taraba State and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development for an integrated industrial park, 10,000 hectares of irrigated rice production and processing, and a 50-megawatt solar power plant in Jalingo.

According to him, such investments could help convert Taraba’s natural resources into production, employment, value addition and sustainable economic growth.

The minister said the Federal Government was complementing the state’s development efforts through major road projects, including the Gembu–Mbamnga–Yang Road, Bali–Serti–Gashaka–Gembu Road and interventions along the Jalingo–Mutum Biyu–Tella–Wukari corridor.

He also mentioned ongoing work on the Mayo Selbe–Gembu, Mutum Biyu–Garba Chede and Jalingo–Numan roads.

“These are more than roads. They are investments in connectivity, trade, tourism, agriculture, security and the movement of people and goods,” Idris said.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to developing Taraba’s agricultural, energy and mineral resources, including the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.

On security, Idris said the government was advancing reforms toward the establishment of State Police, with the aim of bringing policing closer to communities while maintaining professionalism, accountability and safeguards against abuse.

He said the proposed framework could benefit Taraba because of its large terrain and dispersed border communities.

The minister also cited the establishment of the Nigerian Army’s 10 Division, headquartered in Jalingo, as evidence of the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen security in Taraba and Adamawa states.

“Security and development must go together. People cannot invest, farmers cannot move their produce, tourists cannot visit and businesses cannot grow where communities feel unsafe,” he said.

Idris further said the removal of petrol subsidy had generated N15.8 trillion in additional resources for the Federation between June 2023 and December 2025.

He said approximately N5.4 trillion accrued to the Federal Government, while N10.4 trillion went to states and local governments, providing additional resources for infrastructure, education, healthcare, security and human capital development.

The minister maintained that the Federal Government would not return to the previous subsidy regime, saying the focus was now on consolidating reforms, protecting vulnerable Nigerians and ensuring that public resources translated into tangible improvements.

He also pledged stronger collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation and the Taraba State Ministry of Information and Re-Orientation to ensure that residents understood and embraced the objectives of the master plan.

Idris said the plan must reach farmers, entrepreneurs, students, traders and communities across the state.

“This is because a plan for Taraba must ultimately be a plan owned by the people of Taraba,” he said.

Governor Kefas, in his remarks, called for continuity in governance, saying his administration would build on the achievements of previous military administrators and elected governors.

He stressed that Taraba’s development should transcend governments, political parties, ethnic groups and individuals.

“Government must be a continuum. Development must be cumulative. Taraba is bigger than any government, any administration, any political party, any ethnic group, or any individual,” Kefas said.

He added that the people of Taraba should ultimately receive the credit for the state’s development.