Taraba State Governance in the Spotlight: Commissioner Clarifies Misconceptions on Poverty Alleviation
Recently, public outcry arose when Taraba State Commissioner of Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation, Habu James Philip, faced criticism on social media, calling for his resignation due to remarks made at a poverty reduction and sustainable development workshop in China.
The commissioner reacted by addressing concerns, emphasizing that the state government’s true objective is to drive sustainable development, not perpetuate poverty.
The commissioner explained that during the workshop, he misspoke and meant to say “sustaining development,” but accidentally used the word “poverty” instead. He immediately corrected his statement.
“It was a simple slip-up at the workshop in China. I intended to say that our government is dedicated to sustaining development, but a momentary lapse led to a misstatement. I caught and corrected it straight away,” the commissioner clarified.
Philip reemphasized Governor Kefas’s strong commitment to poverty alleviation and development in Taraba, assuring that the administration is resolute in reducing poverty levels in the state and working towards lifting Taraba off the poverty index.
“I urge all Tarabans to disregard any publications claiming I said the government would perpetuate poverty. Our focus remains on sustaining development, and we will continue to strive for a poverty-free Taraba,” the commissioner urged.
