The Accord Party’s governorship candidate in Taraba State, Professor Jerome Nyameh, has said the state is not poor, stressing that its major challenge is the underutilisation and mismanagement of its abundant natural resources.
Nyameh, while speaking on Monday in Jalingo on the development challenges confronting the state, said Taraba is endowed with enormous human and natural resources capable of transforming its economy and improving the living conditions of its people.
According to him, the state possesses vast agricultural land, mineral resources, forests, water resources and tourism potentials, but successive administrations have failed to fully harness these opportunities for sustainable development.
He argued that the persistent economic challenges facing the state should not be attributed to a lack of resources, but to inadequate planning, poor management and the failure to create an enabling environment for investment.
“Taraba is not poor. We are blessed with natural resources, but these resources have been underutilised and mismanaged,” Nyameh said.
The governorship candidate maintained that with purposeful leadership, transparency and proper investment, the state could generate significant revenue internally while creating employment opportunities for its growing population.
“The agricultural sector, if properly developed, could become a major driver of Taraba’s economy, particularly through mechanised farming, agro-processing, improved access to markets and the development of value chains,” Nyameh said.
Nyameh also stressed the need to explore the state’s mineral deposits responsibly, arguing that mining activities should be properly regulated to prevent environmental degradation while ensuring that communities and the state benefit from the resources.
He identified tourism as another sector with enormous potential, citing Taraba’s mountains, forests, wildlife and other natural attractions as assets that could attract visitors and generate revenue if adequately developed and promoted.
The Accord candidate further called for investments in critical infrastructure, including roads, electricity, water supply and healthcare, saying such facilities were essential to unlocking the economic potential of rural communities.
He said a government genuinely committed to development must move beyond rhetoric and formulate policies capable of turning the state’s natural endowments into tangible benefits for its citizens.
Nyameh added that Taraba needed a governance model centred on accountability, efficient utilisation of public resources and partnerships with the private sector to stimulate economic growth.
He expressed confidence that the state could become one of Nigeria’s leading economic hubs if its resources were properly managed and its people given the opportunity to participate meaningfully in the development process.
He therefore urged the people of Taraba to demand greater accountability from political leaders and support policies that would promote sustainable development, job creation and improved living standards across the state.
Taraba not poor, resources underutilised, mismanaged by govt — Nyameh