Chuwang Emmanuel

Insecurity, poor knowledge of the operating environment as well as corruption has been cited as part of the reason why Taraba state has been unable to attract needed investments.

According to the chairman of Taraba State Youths, Economic and Security Summit Committee, Benjamin Bako, acknowledging the problem led to the resolution to start a business summit where investors, security agencies, community leaders, and religious and youth organizations come together and discuss doing business in the state.

Bako said stakeholders plan to align with security agencies and the traditional institution to provide an enabling business environment in the state.

He said this gave birth to the maiden Taraba State Youths, Economic and Security Summit, with the theme, “Harnessing the potentials in our youths, repositioning Taraba from potentials to prosperity and securing our people” which was held from Tuesday 13 to Thursday 14 June in Jalingo, bringing together security agencies, youth organization, traditional rulers, entrepreneurs, investors, and the media.


Mr. Bako also disclosed that the corrupt attitudes of the past government officials in the state stopped investors including Dangote Group of Company from investing in the state.

He said Aliko Dangote who visited the state in 2017, alongside, other investors to invest in Tomatoes and Sugar in Lau local government area of the state but the high demands from corrupt government officials who were all out to exploit him could not allow the investment to see the light of the day.


Bako further revealed that the reason for the formation of the 21-man committee by the Agbu Kefas-led government in the state was to work on such issues that earlier hindered groups and individuals from bringing investments in the state.

“There are several reasons for the formation of this committee, one is to braze up the youths for leadership challenges ahead, two is to open up the state’s potential to the investors and create awareness to those who are ready to invest in the state and three, is to ensure a level playing ground for all in terms of security so that businesses would strive from all corners.


“Kefas’s administration will not allow people to use their personal gains to hinder the development of the state, we as a committee will also not give room for sabotage, Taraba is now free for all those who want to come and invest, we have the potentials and we are now ready to receive those with investment opportunities.

“In the last three days of our summit, we were able to discuss meaningfully and also identify forces against our progress, we have engaged the youths, and traditional and religious leaders, we discussed security, and everybody is better informed about his or her responsibility than before, the governor is ready to transform the state and the people are also ready to support him.

Mr. Bako while expressing confidence in the government of Kefas in sustaining the summit said it would help mitigate the general insecurity bedeviling Taraba and train youth to be self-reliant.

“Government has already started making contact with both local and foreign investors to come to explore the potential of the state and empower our communities with economic activities.

“I want to inform investors across the world that the security of lives and property is now guaranteed in Taraba and the state is now open for all kinds of business” Bako disclosed.

“The summit also resolved and advise the government to create an ICT hub where youth would be trained to reduce internet illiteracy and improve internet creativity among youth.

“Government is to train manpower in the area of internet productivity to ease the burden of government employment and change the mentality of young people who believe government job is the only surviving point after graduation.

“Our target is to change the narrative and the mentality of youths who believe that one must work with government, forgetting the available technologies to explore.

“We want to give our youths the technological skills in line with the global trend. We want to change the mentality of our youth that one must work with the government.