By Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
President Bola Tinubu has described Taraba State as the agricultural powerhouse of Nigeria that must be fully harnessed to drive development and food security.
The President, who said this in Jalingo on Wednesday while declaring open the Taraba International Investment Summit (TARAVEST 2025), said that the Federal Government is fully committed partner and support the State to actualise her development drive.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima noted that each part of Nigeria is a gift to the nation and compliments the deficiencies of other parts.
“Taraba is strategic to our prosperity due to the enormous potentials here. Contemporary realities demand that we shift from subsistence to mechanised agriculture. It requires a shift from illegal to advanced mining. The Federal Government is fully committed to support Taraba to achieve the aims of this submit. Taraba is an agricultural power house that must be fully harnessed. The Mambila hydropower project is achievable and we will do it” he said.
Former Vice President Abubakar Atiku in his remarks said that “building strategic partnerships is critical to unlocking potentials and driving development. Private investment will establish a foundation for diverse economy and facilitate growth. Taraba economy holds enormous potentials. Government should ensure measures that would guarantee safety of investments and investors. There is need for clear definition of areas of investment opportunities, ensure clear policy direction and ensure safety of the State.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote noted that Taraba State is the best place for Agriculture and commended the efforts by the state government to showcase the potentials of the state to attract development, while saying that “this will boost revenue, create jobs, reduce poverty and reduce crime. Taraba is truly endowed but these endowments would come to nothing until they are harnessed. This move is therefore in the right direction. Domestic investors are the ones who attract foreign investors. Therefore, try and attract local investors. Once they set the system going, the foreigners will come. If the locals don’t invest, no foreigners will come”.
Also speaking Dr Tony Elumelu said the summit speaks to the world the fact that Africa is the home for investment.
Archbishop Bishop Ignatius Kaigama in his remarks noted that “Taraba is a land of enormous potentials” and urge all the prospective investors to make the best of the opportunity and invest in areas that would transform the State to a dream State.
“Peace and security can only be achieved through tolerance. Religion should build its adherents and not make them try to dominate and obliterate others. Religious and ethnic tolerance must be our watchword. We should make the best of the land God gave us for free rather than fight over it. Let us reserve in our hearts a place for everyone” the Clergy said.
Other speakers at the event including the Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar, representative of Ghanian President and others commended the State Governor for the bold initiative and urge him to pay attention to local investors who will ultimately make way for the foreign investors.
Our Correspondent reports that this is the first time Taraba State is holding an investment summit and it features exhibition of some potentials in the State including mineral resources, agricultural products, river resources and others.