Taraba Government Declares Emergency On Infrastructure, Human Services

Taraba State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, has declared a state of emergency on infrastructural development and human services in the state.

According to a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Gebon Timothy Kataps which was made available to LEADERSHIP in Jalingo, Governor Kefas also constituted a 13-man implementation committee to drive the process.

Kataps said the committee has been mandated to oversee and coordinate the implementation of emergency measures to address the challenges confronting the state.

According to the statement, “The state is faced with significant challenges in infrastructural development and provision of human services, which threaten the health, safety and welfare of Tarabans that require immediate attention and action to ensure the well-being of the people and the state’s infrastructure”.

It added that the Governor has approved the constitution of the emergency implementation committee to “oversee and coordinate the implementation of all emergency measures during the state of emergency, which shall remain in force for an initial period of 24 months.”

The committee, which has an initial period of 24 months to carry out its assignment, is chaired by Danladi Baido Tijos and includes members of the State Executive Council and Heads of Departments. The Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement will serve as its Secretary.

Membership of the committee comprises the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Commissioners of Health, Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Water Resources, Agriculture and Food Security, Energy and Economic Development, Environment and Climate Change, Works and Infrastructure, the State Planning Commission, and the State Auditor General.

Similarly, Governor Kefas has approved the creation of new ministries and redesignation of two others as part of ongoing reforms aimed at improving service delivery, social welfare, and the education sector.

Kataps revealed that these aligned with government operations with the administration’s development priorities.

According to the statement, the two new ministries include the Ministry of Nursery and Basic Education and the Ministry of Secondary, Vocational, and Skill Education, both of which are expected to enhance learning outcomes and streamline education management from foundational to skill-based levels.

However, the Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation has now been replaced with the Ministry of Social Development and Human Services, while the former Ministry of Social Justice and Reintegration has been redesignated as the Ministry of Social Justice, reflecting a renewed focus on fairness, legal protections, and support systems for vulnerable groups.

The statement noted that further details on the core mandates and operational frameworks of the newly created and redesignated ministries will be released soon by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the State.