By Okerafor Athanasius, Jalingo
A youth vanguard group of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) in Taraba State, North-East Nigeria, has called on the State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, to give account of his frequent foreign trips to the people of the state.
This was contained in a signed press statement issued to journalists by the Publicity Secretary, APC Youth Vanguard in the state, Ambassador Rikwense Muri, on Wednesday, February 12.
Gov. Kefas and his officials have often defended the journeys as necessary to attract foreign investors to the state so as to facilitate development and ensure a higher quality of life and thus,more happiness, to people of the state.
But, the group enjoined the governor to remember that public funds were being deployed for the trips,urging him to rather look inwards for investments as, according to it, his overseas travels had yielded nothing tangible and amount to a waste of tax payers’ money.
The statement read: “APC Youth Vanguard Taraba State Chapter wishes to express our concerns regarding the frequent foreign trips undertaken by His Excellency, Governor Dr. Agbu Kefas, in an effort to attract foreign investors to Taraba State.
“The participation of the Governor in the recent Ministerial Panel in India is just one out of his many trips to UK, Finland, Germany, Paris, USA, etc within less than two years in office.
“While we recognize the importance of seeking investment opportunities, it is disheartening to observe that these trips have not resulted in a significant influx of foreign investments.
“Instead, the state treasury has been burdened by the high costs associated with these excursions, raising questions about their effectiveness and overall value.”
The group recalled that last year, a report showed that the State Government expended more than N6.5 billion on foreign trips to attract foreign investments.
“As advocates for the youth and development of Taraba, we believe it is imperative to redirect our focus towards strategies that yield tangible benefits for our communities.
“The funds spent on these foreign trips could be better utilized in local initiatives that promote growth and development within the state.
“We urge the governor to critically evaluate the current approach to attracting investment and prioritize efforts that will deliver real outcomes for the people of Taraba”, it said.
APC Youth Vanguard, however, pledged its strong commitment to the success of Taraba state, adding that it will continue to pray for the state’s prosperity under the Moving Forward agenda of Gov. Kefas’ administration.
“We stand ready to support initiatives that truly uplift Taraba State and its citizens”, the statement added.
