Gov Ishaku addressing the visitors from Kurmi LG in his office yesterday
Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku has said that the Maraba to Baissa road in Kurmi local government will be constructed before the expiration of the present dispensation.
Governor Darius Ishaku stated this yesterday in his office in Government House, Jalingo, when the Chief of Kurmi, Chairman, Stakeholders Forum of Kurmi and the Chairman of Kurmi local government led Kurmi indigenes who are appointees of the present administration to say thank you for finding them worthy to work with.
Darius Ishaku who expressed satisfaction with the visit however said the road from Mararaba to Baissa was the first road he had wanted to construct in the state, but lamented that it was laced with lots of challenges posed by the contractor.
He revealed that it took him time to terminate the contract and subsequently embarked on a fresh feasibility study and new design for Mararaba to Baissa and to Abong roads, which he said has been completed and a competent contractor has also been contacted. The contract sum is yet to be finalised, he added.
Speaking further, the Governor said due to the harsh economic reality on ground other options are being explored considering the commercial importance of Kurmi to the state and the entire country He stated that he intends to construct a standard carriage road that will stand the test of time so that the commercial potentialities of the area would be fully exploited for the benefit of state. He assured the state stakeholders that the road to Kurmi will be constructed before the end of his tenure.
On the issue of Baissa Timber, Governor Ishaku stated that two investors a Canadian and a Chinese, have indicated interest and put forward their conditions which the state government is studying because he wants the best for Kurmi people.
Governor Darius Ishaku also disclosed that he is working hard to establish cocoa grading centre in the state to end the journey Taraba Cocoa Farmers often embarked on to have their cocoa graded at Ibadan in Oyo state.
The Governor remarked that every leader enjoys being appreciated by his people and called on the Chief of Kurmi and the entire stakeholders to continue to work together for peaceful co-existence in the state. He described Kurmi as his second home because it occupies a special place in his heart.
A cross section of the delegation from Kurmi
Leader of the delegation, the Chief of Kurmi, Samaila Maiwuya told the governor that the entire Kurmi people chose to pay him the visit to show their appreciation for appointing their people into various positions in his government.
Samaila Maiwuya also stated that since his election into office in 2015 and the subsequent Court cases challenging his election, which he won, there was the need to come and congratulate him for all the victories achieved and to assure him that the people of Kurmi will continue to stand by him and will accord him all the support he needs in order to excel.
Maiwuya maintained that since the creation of Taraba state, Kurmi people have never had many of her people appointed into political offices like now and appreciated Governor Ishaku for the special consideration, challenging the appointees to be obedient, diligent and committed to their duties, adding that the people of Kurmi will not hesitate to deal with any of the appointees that flouted the directive of the Governor.
He solicited for the construction of road leading to Kurmi, which he said it will help ease the hardship faced by the people and commended the governor for reviving the Baissa Oil Mills and for his plans to also reactivate the Baissa Timber.
Chairman stakeholders forum of Kurmi, Justice Emmanuel Dodo, retired, said they have come as people of Kurmi to thank him for the wonderful love he has displayed for them and to assure him of their support.
Dodo said that some sons and daughters of Kurmi who had earlier took an excursion to other political parties have discover that there is no place like home and the home is the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.
