Barr Anna Ishaku building Taraba free of abuse, joblessness

Okerafor Athanatius, Jalingo

Wife of Taraba state governor, Barrister (Mrs.) Anna Darius Ishaku, stood beside her husband with resoluteness, determination and strength of character on the 29th May, 2015 as he took his oath of office, to pilot the affairs of the state as Governor.

The Daily Times gathered that on that remarkable day, Tarabans, spanning from the three senatorial zones of the state, converged in their thousands at the Jolly Nyame Stadium to witness the swearing-in-ceremony of their Tnewly elected Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku.

As the occasion progressed men, women and youths, (both young and old), dressed in their various traditional attires were seen waving at the latest First Lady about to be emerged, singing songs of  adoration to God Almighty and calling her, ‘the original Mama Taraba’.

Few people, who knew Mrs. Ishaku for ages, admired her audacity, acumen and vision, believing in her as an asset, considering her legal background. The Governor’s wife was indeed in high spirit towards supporting her husband to succeed as the Executive Governor of Taraba state.

Shortly after assumption of office as Taraba First Lady, Anna Darius Dickson Ishaku, after her husband’s inauguration, established the Hope Afresh Foundation Taraba (HAFT), christened, “Her Pet Project” in July, 2015. She had revealed that the target was to raise the standard and quality of lives of the less privileged in the society.

According to sources, HAFT, though a project owned by the wife of the Governor, is a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), aimed at complementing the Rescue Agenda of Governor Ishaku.

Putting her vision to work by rekindling the hope of the impoverished men, women and youths across the sixteen local government areas, Yangtu and Ndola Special Development Areas of the state therefore, Mrs. Ishaku, under the aegis of HAFT, trained about one thousand, five hundred youths and women in skills acquisition.

Flagging off an Entrepreneurship Development Training and Senegalese Fashion Design Training Programme organised by HAFT,  in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), held at the Taraba State University Skills Acquisition Centre, Jalingo, Mrs Ishaku urged the beneficiaries to always be at the forefront of the fight against joblessness and poverty, describing same as the focal point of the programme.

In the past two years, she has sent Medical Rescue Outreach to Jalingo and Takum Local Governments, three IDPs’ Camps in Sabon Gida and Kwararrafa villages of Gassol and Bali Local Government Areas where over five thousand people were treated.

She has also raised awareness and training in selected schools across Taraba state on HIV/AIDs prevention, in collaboration with NYSC HIV/AIDs prevention CDs Groups.

Through the Hope Afresh Foundation, Mrs Ishaku was able to visit the Ndola community in Ngada Special Development Area of the state with support packages of grinding machines, treated mosquito nets and motor cycles.

Only recently, HAFT trained over eighty one (81) women and men as Traditional Birth Attendants (BTA) in Sunkuru, Ngada Special Development Area as interim measure and training of 14 youths from Ngada community in the State’s College of Nursing and Midwifery, Jalingo and College of Health Technology, Takum for long term plan towards addressing health needs of the people.

Also, recently HAFT conducted Sensitization rallies on building a society free from drug abuse in Jalingo for the local governments in Taraba  North, in Ussa local government for those in the South and Kurmi for the local governments in the Central Taraba.

Accordingly, awareness Campaign on Drug Abuse was carried out in Jalingo, the state capital drawing participants from the sixteen local government areas of the state. This programme was in collaboration with Global Network Minority Initiatives.

In her zeal towards contributing to the health needs of the people of the state, Anna Darius Dickson Ishaku, recently sought collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Welcoming guests during a stakeholders’ workshop on treatment practitioners’ Level Training on Evidenced-Based Drug Dependence Treatment in Taraba state, a programme in collaboration between UNODC and Taraba state government, anchored by HAFT, held at the auditorium of HAFT, Jalingo, Mrs. Ishaku said, “The partnership with UNODC is a milestone in supporting the state to have functional rehabilitation centres that will cater for victims of substance abuse and other psychosocial needs of the people”.

She disclosed that the health challenge staring the society in the face with regard to substance abuse is better imagined.

“Touched by the situation, I embarked on sensitisation rally in the three zones of the state, creating awareness on the need to building a society free of substance abuse”, she said.

In the course of the rallies, she said it was obvious that the problem was enormous and requires holistic approach.

Barr. (Mrs.) Ishaku further stated that the situation, if left unattended to, leaves the state and the country at large without a future, and noted that it is the youths who are adjudged leaders of tomorrow that are engulfed in the menace of substance abuse.

Mrs. Ishaku also flagged off a one week’s train the trainers’ workshop of thirty candidates from Ngada Special Development Area, held at Community Social Development Project (CSDP) Skills Acquisition Centre, Mile Six, Jalingo Local Government Area of the State.

Speaking at one of the events organised by HAFT, Governor Ishaku, who was thrilled by the magnanimity of his wife in the fulfillment of his campaign promises to the people of the state said, “We shall soon commence the building of a Drug Treatment/Rehabilitation Facility within one of the state owned hospitals here in Jalingo.”

This was indicative of his appreciation of his wife’s commitment to assist him to succeed in his Rescue Agenda for Taraba State.