A traditional ruler and chief of Jubu (Kuru Jibu) from Bali local government area of Taraba State, HRM Abubakar Mahmood has disclosed that the Taraba State free education policy introduced by the state governor Agbu Kefas has removed over 80 percent of out-of-school children from the streets.
Mahmood stated this while briefing journalists in Jalingo, Taraba State capital yesterday to appreciate the governor on his initiatives to invest in education and security of the state.
The monarch also revealed that crisis recently broke out between Fulani and Tiv under his chiefdom in Bali where six persons were killed and properties destroyed. He said that peace was promptly restored by the security operatives in conjunction with the traditional rulers within the area, an initiative he also said was necessitated by the efforts of the governor.
Mahmood, who was education secretary in the state before his appointment as chief of Kuru, said prompt payment of teachers, procurement of institutional materials, and monthly payment of impress to schools in the state by the Governor Kefas-led administration have motivated the teachers to give their best to the pupils and students.
He said investment in the children is the best security architecture in every society.
“Before now, we use to have massive out of school children on streets across the state, the huge number of enrollment into both primary and secondary schools in the state after introduction of free education policy in the state is impressive, courtesy of the governor.
“Also, security-wise, the governor has motivated us with mobility. Since we, the traditional rulers in the state, were provided with vehicles, we have been able to reach out to our subjects at any time there is an issue. When the crisis between Tiv and Fulani broke out last week, I used the initiatives the governor has been giving us in our meetings and was able to end the crisis in just a day.
“It has not been like this with us in Taraba, why am addressing you journalists here today is to urge to people of my chiefdom and the citizens of Taraba at large to support the governor and his government for us to also write our name as a progressive state in Nigeria.
“Many people before now could not afford their children to school because of cost of school fees, uniforms, writing materials, immediately the governor declared education free in the state, the number of children enrollment increase, statistics shows that reduction of out of school children in the state is over 80% just within one year,” he said.
LEADERSHIP report that not fewer than seven persons, including a 92 years old man were killed while several others were injured in an attack by suspected herders in a farming community at Mararaban Azagwa, Maihura in Bali local government area of Taraba State.