Taraba State governor, Agbu Kefas, has said the collective ideas of civil servants and political office holders are needed to build a collaborative vision on how to place the state in the global landscape of development.

Mr Kefas stated this while declaring open a two-day retreat organised by the state government for civil servants and political office holders in Jalingo.

The governor, while urging participants to be focused to enable them to produce the desired result after the retreat, noted that his administration was desirous of placing the state on the global landscape.

He stated that the retreat was an opportunity for the participants to critically think about the state’s current strategies, share ideas, and build a collective vision for Taraba.

According to him, the state is moving forward on many fronts in a globalising world, and there are issues that need to be addressed.

He said, “Globalisation is important for us, and it will help us to be able to work out our strategy and to reflect on our roles as public servants and political office holders so that we will shape the future of our state. We live in an era marked by rapid changes, where globalisation continues to redefine economic boundaries and the expectations of governance. In such a dynamic environment, it is imperative for us as leaders and custodians of public trust to equip ourselves with the knowledge, skills, and vision necessary to navigate these challenges and seize the opportunities that come with them.

“This retreat is a moment for us to think, look back on things we have done, and see how we can move forward in a positive direction so that Taraba will continue to be placed where everybody will want to belong. I encourage you to engage fully in the discussions. We need to work together; we need to work in harmony to make governance easy and give the people what they deserve.”

The governor decried an era where civil servants were placed far from developmental initiatives and decisions for good governance, saying the move would have since placed Taraba on the global landscape of development.

He urged the participants to approach the retreat with an open mind and commitment to achieve progress.

Mr Kefas encouraged them to remain focused on the principles of integrity, accountability, and service.

He stated, “When I came in, I met a lot of welfare issues where running costs were not there and where it was difficult to even run the office. Civil servants had to depend on contractors or one thing or the other, asking for favour. All we are trying to do is see how we can make governance easy, maintain our integrity and honour, and be accountable even when we leave here.’’

The guest speaker at the occasion, Kanu Agabi (SAN), called on Mr Kefas to build structures that would define physical development in Taraba.

The guest speaker also advised the civil servants and political office holders to always maintain the culture of integrity in service and resist all forms of corrupt practices.

Earlier, the Taraba Head of Civil Service, Tino Maigida, also said that the event was the second of its kind within the short time of the Kefas’ administration.

Mr Maigida, while pledging the cooperation of civil servants to ensure an incredible outcome of the mission to globalise Taraba, saluted Mr Kefas for prioritizing the civil service reform and redefining governance.

(NAN)