Former Speaker seeks more FG presence in Taraba

The inability of Federal Government to make its presence felt in Taraba State has, no doubt, become a source of concern to the former Speaker of the state Assembly, Peter Diah.

To address this, the need for the incoming administration at the federal level to increase its presence in the state, especially in the areas of road construction and appointment is crucial.

Diah, who made his position known, yesterday, while answering questions from journalists in Jalingo shortly after receiving his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), felt sad that despite massive contributions of the state to growth of the country, the state is still being relegated to the background by government at the centre.

Citing infrastructural deficit of the state, attending to numerous abandoned federal roads across the state, he said, has become necessary.

Among roads enumerated by him, which, he said, needs urgent attention, are roads linking the state with the neighbouring Republic of Cameroun.

The other road, which he identified to have been a nightmare not only to the state, but also to the North East region, is the Numan/Jalingo road.

In the areas of federal appointment, he expressed sadness that the state has not been carried along by successive federal governments; hence, the need for the incoming administration to consider the state.

Diah, who beckoned on the incoming federal government to give the state the needed olive branches, also urged the incoming state government to work round the clock to unite people of the state, who he observed to have been sharply divided along religion and tribal lines.