The Taraba State Transparency and Accountability Forum, a Jalingo-based pro-democracy group, has opposed the deployment of security personnel to the Taraba Trade Fair Complex.
The deployment is aimed at halting the ongoing construction of the Federal Secretariat in Jalingo, the state capital.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday in Jalingo, the Executive Director of the Forum, Sani Gambo, argued that the construction of the complex is crucial for the enhancement of the Jalingo Urban Development Plan and providing office space for federal agencies in the state.
He urged Governor Agbu Kefas to address the political and administrative challenges hampering the project’s progress.
Highlighting years of neglect in the award and construction of a Federal Secretariat Complex since Taraba’s inception in 1991, Gambo underscored the significance of the project’s approval for the state’s development.
Expressing dismay over past crises that hindered project execution, he asserted that all necessary administrative procedures had been completed, with construction already underway.
He cited the Federal Ministry of Housing’s compliance with requisite documentation, including allocation letters, survey plans, and express grant letters.
The group appealed to Kefas to ensure the withdrawal of security personnel obstructing the project and to address internal obstacles hindering its realization.
OsunDailyNG noticed that the contract, awarded for an 18-month duration, commenced on September 2, 2023, but encountered delays due to disputes between Taraba State and the Federal Government over land ownership.
Initially earmarked for a Trade Fair Complex, the land was reallocated by the previous administration to the Federal Government, leading to contention and subsequent deployment of security forces to the construction site.
