The Taraba Concerned Youth (TCY) has rejected the planned state-wide town hall meetings initiated by Governor Agbu Kefas, describing the exercise as a wasteful distraction from the pressing challenges confronting the state.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the group said ‘Tarabans’ are “not interested in empty speeches or staged interactions” but in tangible infrastructure, economic growth, and the fulfillment of campaign promises.
“Public gatherings, political theatrics, and rhetoric cannot replace real action. Governor Kefas promised to revamp the economy, improve security, and strengthen education, agriculture, and healthcare. Yet, farmers remain stranded, roads are impassable, schools are in disrepair, and hospitals lack basic facilities,” the group stated.
The youth further insisted that job creation, road construction, security improvements, and functional schools and hospitals are the true indicators of leadership, not symbolic events. They urged political leaders to redirect resources budgeted for the town hall sessions into basic amenities that would directly impact lives.
The statewide town hall meetings, slated to begin today, Monday, September 22, 2024, across all 16 local governments, have reportedly drawn rejection not only from youths but also from elders in several communities, including Wukari, the governor’s hometown.
Governor Kefas had earlier dispatched over 1,000 advisers to their communities to gather feedback on local needs ahead of his visits. However, critics argue that such initiatives fall short of addressing the state’s urgent development challenges.