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Taraba State Strategic Comms, Government House, Jalingo (2026)

19/04/2026

The Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy and the Taraba State Government is a policy decision with clear economic intent. It is designed to move tourism in Taraba from occasional cultural displays to a structured and revenue-generating sector.

Coming shortly after the Nwonyo Fishing Festival, the timing is strategic. Nwonyo has consistently demonstrated that Taraba can attract attention and participation at scale. What has been missing is a system that converts that attention into sustained economic activity. This MoU directly addresses that gap by introducing a permanent tourism framework rather than relying on seasonal events.

The economic implications for Taraba State are direct and measurable.

The development of a tourism village will create jobs across multiple levels. Construction alone will engage local labour. Once operational, the facility will require staff in hospitality, administration, maintenance, security, and cultural services. Beyond direct employment, it will support traders, transport operators, food vendors, artisans, and local service providers. This type of economic activity spreads income across communities rather than concentrating it.

The project will increase internally generated revenue. Tourism brings in external spending. Visitors pay for accommodation, food, access, and local experiences. These transactions generate taxes, fees, and levies that strengthen the state’s revenue base without increasing the financial burden on residents.

It will stimulate private sector participation. A functional tourism village attracts complementary investments such as hotels, restaurants, tour services, and recreational facilities. This reduces reliance on government funding and expands the state’s economic base through private capital.

It supports a practical approach to security. Economic activity creates stability. When communities benefit directly from tourism, they have a clear incentive to maintain peace and protect the environment that attracts visitors. This aligns with the position of Governor Agbu Kefas that non-kinetic strategies are necessary in addressing insecurity.

It positions Taraba within the national economic diversification agenda. The Federal Government has identified tourism, culture, and the creative economy as viable alternatives to oil dependency. By entering into this agreement, Taraba is aligning with that direction and placing itself in a position to benefit from federal support, policy backing, and increased visibility.

The Taraba State Government has taken a clear lead on this project and has already moved beyond intent. The identification of a viable site and the alignment with federal authorities show that this is not a speculative idea but a structured intervention with defined direction. The state is not waiting to react. It is setting the pace and establishing the framework for ex*****on.

This project will be delivered as part of a broader economic agenda under the Kefas administration. The tourism village will serve as a permanent platform that converts cultural assets such as the Nwonyo Fishing Festival into continuous economic activity. Taraba is making a deliberate shift from showcasing culture to commercializing it in a structured and sustainable manner.

©Nelson Dimas
Special Adviser on strategic communications

18/04/2026

GOVERNOR AGBU KEFAS’ SPEECH AT NWONYO FISHING FESTIVAL 2026
"We gather not just for a festival, but for a living heritage… a tradition that has outlived time, and a symbol of unity that continues to bind our people together." 🌊🐟

Relive the powerful address as Taraba showcases culture, tradition, and global recognition.

🎥 Full video below 👇

04/04/2026

GOVERNOR Agbu KEFAS JOINS PRESIDENT TINUBU ON WORKING VISIT TO OGUN STATE.

Taraba State governor, Dr Agbu Kefas joined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on a one day working visit to Ogun State where the President inaugurated the Gateway International Airport in Iperu.

The President equally unveiled the Ogun state owned airline, the Gateway Air and its fleet of aircraft.

Governor Agbu Kefas was also in company of the President as he inaugurated other landmark projects executed by Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun.

They include, the Ilishan- Iperu airport road, the Forward Operating Base (FOB) building, gateway aviation village and the old Ibadan road which is now officially named Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressway.

President Bola Tinubu who appreciated the Ogun State governor for his remarkable vision said in less than seven years, he has demonstrated commitment, vision and patriotism to grow Nigeria through impactful projects adding that, infrastructure underscores the faith that people have in the country.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio in his remarks acknowledged the contributions of President Tinubu whose bold reforms have provided avenue for the sub nationals to have enough resources to develop their respective States as demostrated by the Ogun State Government.

Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun who was appreciative said he remains proud to align with the renewed hope agenda of the president pointing out that he decided to embark on an extensive infrastructure renewal projects cutting across all sectors of the economy in order to reposition the State to be one of the most attractive investment destinations in Nigeria.

©Nelson Dimas

Special adviser on Policy and Strategic communications.

04/04/2026

GOVERNOR AGBU KEFAS ATTENDS TY DANJUMA STAFF GET-TOGETHER IN TAKUM

Taraba State Governor, His Excellency Dr. Agbu Kefas, on Friday, April 3, 2026, attended a staff get-together programme organized by elder statesman and retired General, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, for staff working across his various establishments in Taraba State.

The event, held in Takum Local Government Area, attracted dignitaries from within and outside the state.

Governor Kefas, upon arrival at the venue, exchanged pleasantries with prominent personalities and staff members, in a show of unity and support.

In his remarks, the Governor expressed delight over the prevailing peace in Takum, noting that life and love have returned to the area.

He assured residents that his administration is working closely with neighbouring states to strengthen border security and ensure the safety of lives and property across the region.

Governor Kefas also paid glowing tribute to General TY Danjuma, commending his remarkable contributions to Taraba State and the nation at large, describing him as a patriotic leader whose impact continues to inspire development and progress.

The Governor further appreciated the continued commitment of staff across General Danjuma’s various establishments, encouraging them to remain dedicated to service and excellence.

Nelson C. Dimas
Special Adviser on Policy and Strategic Communications

28/03/2026

GOVERNOR AGBU KEFAS ATTENDS PROGRESSIVE GOVERNORS' MEETING

Governor Agbu Kefas joined his counterparts under the auspices of the Progressive Governors Forum at a meeting held at the Imo State Lodge, Abuja.

The chairman of the forum, who doubles as the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, presided over the meeting.

The meeting which was held behind closed doors provided an opportunity for members of the Forum to appraise the just-concluded National Convention of the party.

Members of the forum also discussed issues that are of concern to the growth and development of the forum as well as the well-being of the citizens.

28/03/2026

GOVERNOR AGBU KEFAS ATTENDS APC NATIONAL CONVENTION 2026 AS PARTY EXECUTIVES GET RE-ELECTED VIA CONSENSUS

Taraba State governor, Dr Agbu Kefas was among APC governors and other critical party stakeholders that were in attendance at the 2026 APC National convention held at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

The governor upon arrival at the convention which serves as a defining moment for the APC exchanged pleasantries with his counterparts and other party chieftains as a mark of unity and togetherness.

8,453 delegates across the country along with thirty two APC governors, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Vice President Kasim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas also graced the occasion which also had Ministers, past and serving APC governors, Senators and members, house of representatives.

All APC National executives were returned via consensus voting, a strategy used by the APC as a tool to bring together leadership, and vision as It plays a crucial role in shaping the party’s direction and strengthening its foundation.

With the convention, the ruling APC party serves to confirm and renew party leadership and in addition, fostering unity by aligning members, resolving internal concerns, and preparing the party for general elections ahead.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his remarks at the event re-echoed the need for Nigerians to unite for the nation to progress while also reiterating that the APC under his leadership remains committed to overcoming challenges and build a greater Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians to remain calm and reassured that all challenges will be summounted while also using the medium to inform Nigerians that electricy supply will be greatly improved and women will be decisively empowered.

Other relevant stakeholders who spoke at the event include the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, deputy senate president, Senator Barau Jibrin, Speaker House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Chairman Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodinma and Chairman Nigeria Governors Forum, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak who all reaffirmed their commitment to the ideals of the President through his renewed hope initiative.

Nelson C. Dimas

Special Adviser on Policy strategic communications.

25/03/2026

Gov Agbu Kefas Reaffirms Commitment to Youth Empowerment, Flags Off Statewide Database Profiling Initiative

The Governor of Taraba State, Dr Agbu Kefas, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering young people, declaring that his government is focused on repositioning the youth for greater roles in leadership and development.

Governor Agbu Kefas made this known while flagging off a statewide youth database and profiling system initiated by the Taraba State Youth Development Agency.

He emphasized that young people remain central to the progress of the state, noting that from the inception of his administration, it has been clear that meaningful development cannot be achieved without their active participation.

According to the governor, deliberate steps are being taken to prepare youths for future leadership responsibilities.

He revealed that a significant number of young people have already been integrated into the state cabinet, alongside the establishment of the Youth Development Agency to further institutionalize youth focused policies.

Governor Agbu Kefas also disclosed plans to expand vocational training opportunities, stating that youths interested in trades such as carpentry, welding, and entrepreneurship will receive government support to become self reliant.

He added that productive engagement of young people would play a key role in reducing crime rates across the state.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Youth Development Agency, Nongha Gara, said the initiative is designed to create a functional and reliable database to address unemployment and enhance youth engagement.

He noted that accurate data remains critical for attracting support from international donors, describing it as a valuable asset for planning and sustainable development.

Gara also commended the governor for providing the necessary platform and support for the successful rollout of the initiative.

The event featured a technical presentation on the operation of the data processing system by Maria Pantuvo, outlining how the platform will support efficient data collection and utilization across the state.

25/03/2026

Crowds turn out in numbers at Gombe International Airport, hailing H.E. Governor Agbu Kefas — leadership that resonates.

25/02/2026

PRESS RELEASE

Taraba State Government Condemns Incendiary Utterances, Clarifies Arrest of Rev. Bazel Yoila

The Taraba State Government has noted with concern a publication circulating on news papers and social media with related commentaries alleging impropriety in the arrest of Rev. Bazel Yoila by the Department of State Services (DSS). The security agencies proactively acted and in the interest of public enlightenment, peace, and responsible civic engagement, the state government considers it imperative to clarify the facts surrounding the incident and to correct misleading impressions conveyed by the said publication.

The Taraba State Government states unequivocally that it is appalled by the public attack launched by John Wesley, Bishop Emeritus, against the Taraba State DSS Command. The government finds it deeply troubling that while condemning the actions of security agencies, the Bishop fell short of holding his pastor accountable for the highly inflammatory and reckless outburst captured in a video clip that has since gone viral on social media.

In the said video, Rev. Bazel Yoila was clearly heard issuing statements capable of inciting violence and threatening a breakdown of law and order, including a direct assertion that “…the state will be on fire” should the government continue with the reconciliation process within the United Methodist Church in Nigeria (UMCN). Such utterances, regardless of the platform or intent claimed, constitute a serious threat to public peace and cannot be trivialized or ignored by any responsible government especially one that prioritizes Security.

The Taraba State Government wishes to reiterate that the ongoing reconciliation process within the UMCN was initiated in good faith, purely as a peace building effort, and without prejudice to any party. The government’s involvement has at all times been guided by neutrality, inclusiveness, and the singular objective of preventing the spillover of internal disputes into wider communal unrest. Any attempt to derail this process through threats or inflammatory rhetoric is unacceptable and will be met with the full weight of the law.

Furthermore, the government notes that the matter is currently before a court of competent jurisdiction. As such, all parties are urged to allow the judicial process to run its full course without undue interference, or inflammatory commentary. The Taraba State Government will continue to respect the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary and will not engage in commentary that may prejudice ongoing legal proceedings.

The state government also calls on media organizations and social commentators to adhere strictly to the ethics of journalism by verifying information from credible and official sources before publication. Sensational, one-sided, or inaccurate reporting has the potential to mislead the public and undermine the collective efforts to sustain peace in the state.

Barr. Zainab Usman Jalingo
Commissioner for Information and Re-Orientation, Taraba State.

20/02/2026

The Long Game of Governance

Public discourse deserves fairness before it demands comparison.

In recent days, social media has been animated with comparisons between Agbu Kefas of Taraba State and Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, particularly in the area of visible physical infrastructure. Roads are being counted. Buildings are being photographed. Flyovers are being invoked as proof of seriousness. It is an energetic debate. It is also a conversation that requires context.

The first principle of any honest comparison is time.

Governor Fintiri is serving a second term. That represents nearly eight cumulative years of budget cycles, fiscal planning, procurement continuity, contractor stability, and policy maturation. Such duration allows major projects to be conceptualized, financed, redesigned, and completed. It allows revenue reforms to mature into visible structures. It permits refinement between first and second term ex*****on.

Governor Kefas is still within his first term.

This is not a trivial detail. It is the central variable in the conversation.

Infrastructure does not materialize from rhetoric; it follows a sequence. There is a fiscal assessment, an inherited liability review, revenue recalibration, contractor verification, debt exposure analysis, and alignment with medium-term expenditure frameworks. Only after these does visible concrete materialize.

To compare a first-term governor with a two-term governor without adjusting for time is to compare foundations with finished projects.

It is also necessary to state, calmly and without theatrics, that Governor Kefas inherited significant liabilities from the previous administration. Those liabilities were not weaponized for sympathy, amplified for outrage, or made the subject of dramatic briefings to trade blame for headlines.

Instead, the administration absorbed the pressure and concentrated on reform.

Financial obligations were audited. Structural gaps were studied. Institutional weaknesses were identified. The choice was correction over complaint.

One of the clearest demonstrations of that reformist approach is the reinstitution of pension and gratuity payments after thirteen years of neglect. The administration commenced with the release of one billion naira to offset outstanding gratuities dating back to 2011. This was followed by a structured monthly release of two hundred million naira to steadily reduce the backlog. More recently, five billion naira was approved and released to further settle gratuity obligations. This is not decorative governance. It is restorative governance.

What should be examined in a first term is not merely the number of flyovers completed. It is the direction of governance. It is whether the financial architecture of the state is being strengthened in a sustainable manner.

A governor in his first term faces defining choices. Does he pursue immediate visual validation, or does he stabilise wages, settle inherited obligations, reform institutions, and rebuild confidence within the civil service before expanding aggressively?

Taraba’s trajectory reflects a deliberate sequence.

A serious administration does not build on financial uncertainty. It builds on order. Order in payroll. Order in pension administration. Order in education financing. Order in institutional management.

Beyond fiscal reforms, security has witnessed measurable improvement. The current security status of the state reflects coordinated intervention, renewed collaboration with security agencies, and a deliberate effort to restore public confidence. Stability is the first infrastructure of development. Without it, roads are symbolic. With it, investment becomes possible.

Education has also received structured attention. School infrastructure across the state is undergoing rehabilitation and expansion. Classrooms are being rebuilt. Learning environments are being restored. The aggressive drive toward free and compulsory education has significantly reduced the burden on families,parents no longer pay for WAEC and NECO. The number of out of school children has dropped dramatically, approaching negligible levels compared to previous realities. That is social infrastructure in its most powerful form.

States differ in revenue profile, debt exposure, inherited commitments, and fiscal starting points. These differences shape what is prudent in the early years of an administration.

Governance is not a sprint to dominate social media comparisons. It is a long game of institutional endurance.

There is a deeper question that deserves attention. What kind of infrastructure is a state prioritising in its formative years? Infrastructure of concrete alone, or infrastructure of capacity?

When a government restores gratuity payments after over a decade of neglect, strengthens security architecture, stabilises wages, reforms education, reform primary healthcare, boost agriculture, and rebuilds institutional confidence, it is not postponing development. It is reinforcing the base upon which durable expansion must stand. A distressed civil service cannot supervise complex projects. An insecure environment cannot attract capital. An underfunded education system cannot produce the technical workforce that sustains growth.

Foundations matter.

This conversation is not about diminishing any state. Every state operates within its own realities and rhythm. What matters is clarity of direction.

A two term administration reflects the maturity of time. A first term administration reveals seriousness through reform, discipline, and strategic sequencing.

The more meaningful inquiry is this. In its first term, is Taraba laying the groundwork for accelerated and sustainable infrastructure growth in subsequent years? Are fiscal controls stronger? Is institutional confidence higher? Is security more stable? Is social infrastructure expanding?

On these metrics, trajectory becomes the proper lens.

Public debate is healthy. Comparison is inevitable. Yet comparison must be anchored in context. Eight years and three years are not the same horizon. Cement laid after nearly a decade cannot be fairly measured against foundations still settling.

History rarely remembers who built the fastest. It remembers who built what endured.

So far, the administration has flagged robust infrastructure development across the state, with significant activity concentrated in Jalingo metropolis. More importantly, an infrastructural expansion phase is underway, anchored on a reformed fiscal base, improved security, and renewed institutional confidence.

If Taraba’s first term is judged by structural reform, fiscal steadiness, pension restoration, security stabilization, educational revolution and forward momentum, then the direction is clear.

The foundation has been laid. The revolution in infrastructure is unfolding.

Nelson C. Dimas
Special Adviser on Policy and Strategic Communications

Taraba State Strategic Comms

19/04/2026

18/04/2026

04/04/2026

04/04/2026

28/03/2026

28/03/2026

25/03/2026

25/03/2026

25/02/2026

20/02/2026

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