The Accord Party governorship candidate in Taraba state, Professor Jerome Nyameh, has called for a fundamental transformation of the state’s economy from one largely driven by government salaries to an industrial economy anchored on productivity, innovation and entrepreneurship.

The candidate said the transition had become necessary if Taraba was to achieve sustainable economic growth, create meaningful employment opportunities for its growing population and reduce dependence on government as the major source of livelihood.

Speaking on his economic vision for the state, the Accord candidate argued that a government-salary-dependent economy could not provide the scale of opportunities required to unlock Taraba’s enormous economic potential.

He said the state must begin to focus more on what its people could produce, process and sell, rather than relying predominantly on the payment of salaries and other recurrent government expenditures to drive economic activities.

According to him, Taraba possesses significant agricultural, mineral, tourism and human resources that could form the foundation of a strong industrial economy if properly harnessed. The candidate maintained that the state needed to move from an economy dominated by consumption to one that encourages production.

He said government policies should be designed to support farmers, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, artisans and other productive sectors of the economy, stressing that increased local production would create jobs, improve household incomes and expand the state’s revenue base.

He identified agriculture as one of the sectors with the greatest potential for industrial transformation, given Taraba’s vast arable land and favourable climatic conditions.

Rather than exporting raw agricultural products, he said, the state should encourage the establishment of processing industries that would add value to farm produce before they are taken to markets outside the state.

Such an approach, he explained, would enable farmers to earn more while creating employment across the agricultural value chain.

The Accord Party candidate placed productivity at the centre of his proposed economic transformation.
He argued that government must create conditions that enable citizens and businesses to produce more efficiently and competitively.

This, he said, would require investment in critical infrastructure, particularly electricity, roads, water supply and digital connectivity.

He also emphasised the importance of improving access to affordable financing and modern technology for small and medium-sized businesses.

According to him, an environment where businesses can operate efficiently would encourage more people to invest, expand their enterprises and employ additional workers.

Nyameh who also identified innovation as a critical component of Taraba’s economic future, said young people should not be viewed only as job seekers but also as potential creators of businesses, technologies and solutions capable of addressing challenges within the state.

While calling for greater support for technology-driven enterprises, innovation hubs, vocational training and skills acquisition programmes that could equip young people with practical skills, he argued that Taraba could leverage technology to create new opportunities in agriculture, education, healthcare, commerce, tourism and other sectors.

Entrepreneurship and Private Sector Growth

Stressing that the government must create an enabling environment for businesses to emerge and thrive, he noted that the private sector should play a stronger role in driving economic growth, while government concentrates on providing policies, infrastructure and institutions that support investment.

He stressed that entrepreneurs require more than motivational programmes, arguing that access to capital, markets, business-friendly regulations and reliable infrastructure were essential for sustainable enterprise development.

The candidate also called for stronger partnerships between government, financial institutions, private investors and development organisations to provide funding and technical support for businesses.

According to the Accord candidate, one of the consequences of a salary-based economy is excessive dependence on government employment, stating that, the state could not employ everyone and therefore needed to develop an economy capable of creating opportunities outside the civil service.

Arguing that a vibrant private sector would enable government to gradually reduce the pressure for public-sector employment while expanding the tax base through legitimate business activities, he added that the objective should not be to weaken the civil service but to ensure that the public sector exists alongside a strong productive private sector.

The governorship candidate who was of the view that Taraba’s industrialisation strategy should be based on the state’s comparative advantages, cited agriculture, livestock, solid minerals, tourism and other natural resources as areas that could support industrial development if investments were properly coordinated.

Maintaining that processing raw materials locally would not only create employment but also reduce the economic losses associated with exporting commodities in their raw form, he advocated deliberate policies to attract investors, establish industrial clusters and improve infrastructure around areas with strong economic potential.

The candidate said the ultimate goal should be to build a Taraba where citizens earn income through production, enterprise and innovation, rather than depending primarily on government salaries.

He maintained that moving from a salary-based state to an industrial state would require political commitment, long-term planning and sustained investment.

According to him, productivity, innovation and entrepreneurship must therefore become central pillars of Taraba State’s economic development agenda if the state is to build a more resilient economy and provide sustainable opportunities for its people.