Habu James Philip
By Akeem Atoyebi
Widespread public anger has swirled up following a statement by Habu James Philip, the Taraba State Commissioner for Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation, after he was seen on a live television programme pledging to “sustain poverty” in the state.
The controversial statement was made at a forum in China, where the commissioner claimed to have “learned new methods of sustaining poverty.”
The video of his pronouncement, which went viral on social media, has drawn sharp criticisms from residents of Taraba State, who are grappling with the rising cost of living and other associated economic challenges with many demanding the immediate removal of the commissioner.
Not a few of those who reacted described his remarks as a disgrace to the state and an insult to their struggles.
“This is an embarrassment to the entire state. How can a government official, whose job is to alleviate poverty, proudly declare that he will sustain it?” asked Suleiman Usman, a civil servant in Jalingo.
“This is not only shameful but a direct attack on the people suffering under the current economic hardship,” he added.
Miriam Aboki, a market trader in Wukari, expressed frustration over the statement. “We are already struggling to make ends meet. The cost of food and basic necessities has skyrocketed. For someone in his position to speak like this and in China, a country that has been helping us with loans shows how disconnected this commissioner is from the reality on the ground. He needs to be removed from his office immediately.”
The commissioner’s comment has also been condemned by activists and community leaders, who argue that his words reflect poorly on Governor Agbu Kefas and his administration.
“Governor Kefas has shown commitment to improving the lives of Taraba citizens, but comments like this from his appointees are undermining his efforts,” said Paul Dogoson, a youth leader in Lau. “The governor should take swift action to replace him before more damage is done.”
Despite the backlash, the state government has yet to issue an official response to the commissioner’s statement.
However, the Hon. Emma Bello, who is the S.A. Media and Digital Communication to the state governor, when confronted with the viral video and contacted to respond to the issue, said, “My response is that this issue might have been a bad case of the proverbial Freudian slip. Governor Agbu Kefas is all about dealing a death blow on poverty.
“In fact, the youthful commissioner in charge of the ministry is an example of how Dr. Kefas is fighting unemployment in the state by basically tapping into youth energy. The governor’s cabinet is made up of young people. Beyond them, the governor continues to work hard to create new jobs through innovations and ICT.
“To further cushion the effect of national poverty, the governor has introduced free education at the primary and secondary school levels while slashing tertiary tuition fees by half. Relatedly, he has paid backlogs of gratuities and pensions and is now on his way to implementing the new minimum wage,” Bello defended.
