For a government policy to move beyond speeches, budgets and official documents, the institutions charged with implementing it must have the resources and capacity to deliver. In Taraba State, however, a fresh assessment of government agencies has exposed a web of operational constraints that could undermine service delivery if left unresolved.
The assessment, contained in a consolidated report presented to the Taraba State Government by the Chief Executive Officers of Boards and Parastatals Forum, identified inadequate funding, shortage of manpower, lack of operational vehicles, dilapidated offices, obsolete equipment and unreliable electricity as some of the major obstacles confronting public institutions across the state.
The report was presented when the State Head of Service, Dr. Ahmed Kara, received members of the forum in Jalingo, providing the administration of Governor Agbu Kefas with an institutional assessment of what government agencies have achieved, where they are struggling and what they require to function more effectively.
For agencies responsible for health, education, roads, water, sanitation and other public services, the report suggests that delays in the release of approved running costs and other financial support have affected their ability to perform routine administrative and operational duties.
Responding to the concerns, Kara assured the chief executives that the Kefas administration was committed to the regular release of approved running costs to government establishments.
He stressed that predictable funding was essential if ministries, departments and agencies were to implement government policies and programmes effectively.
But the Head of Service made it clear that government support would have to be matched by discipline and compliance with established rules.
Kara warned heads of boards and parastatals against recruiting casual workers outside approved procedures, insisting that employment into government establishments must follow due process and existing regulations.
He also directed MDAs to place advertisements in state-owned media organisations and ordered that government documents be printed through the government printing press.
The directives were accompanied by a warning on revenue management, with Kara insisting that funds generated by government establishments must be paid into the appropriate government accounts.
The message from the government appears to be two-pronged: agencies must be adequately resourced to perform their statutory responsibilities, but they must also demonstrate accountability in the management of public resources.
Kara said he would present the challenges and requests contained in the CEOs’ report to Governor Kefas for consideration.
Achievements amid constraints
Despite the challenges, the report paints a picture of institutions that have continued to deliver results in several sectors.
In the health sector, the Health Services Management Board introduced Electronic Medical Records and an HR-for-Health database, while its headquarters was converted into a Situation Room aimed at improving coordination and emergency response.
The Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency also reported the revitalisation of 113 primary healthcare centres, in addition to the distribution of ambulances, laptops and medical equipment.
Health insurance coverage also recorded progress, according to the report.
The Taraba State Contributory Health Insurance Agency reportedly exceeded its second-quarter 2026 enrolment target under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, recording more than 128,000 NIN-validated enrollees.
In education, the Post Primary Schools Management Board sustained free education in 384 public secondary schools.
The College of Nursing and Midwifery, meanwhile, reportedly cleared legacy debts, restored electricity and internet services and secured affiliation with Taraba State University for a Bachelor of Nursing Science programme.
These achievements indicate that the state’s institutions are capable of producing measurable outcomes, but the report suggests that their performance remains heavily influenced by the availability of basic operational resources.
The water sector dilemma
Perhaps one of the most striking findings in the report concerns the Taraba State Water Supply and Sewerage Company.
The company was reported to be operating with an estimated 87 per cent non-revenue water loss, while its capacity utilisation was put at only 13 per cent.
The figures expose a major gap between infrastructure and actual service delivery.
Water may be produced and distributed through public infrastructure, but losses, inadequate capacity and operational inefficiencies can prevent the system from meeting the needs of a growing population.
For residents of Jalingo and other urban communities, the challenge is particularly significant as demand for potable water continues to rise.
The water sector therefore presents one of the clearest examples of why institutional reform cannot be limited to budgetary announcements.
Infrastructure must be supported by functioning systems, competent personnel, reliable equipment and effective revenue management.
Infrastructure and sanitation
The CEOs’ report also documented interventions in roads, drainage, culverts and water and sanitation infrastructure.
The Taraba State Road Construction and Maintenance Agency recorded road, drainage and culvert projects across the state, while the African Development Bank-supported IBSDLEIP programme delivered Water, Sanitation and Hygiene infrastructure at 734 sites across the state’s 16 local government areas.
The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency also supported Karim-Lamido Local Government Area to attain Open Defecation Free status.
Similarly, the Small Town Water Supply and Sanitation Agency rehabilitated three of its 43 small-town water stations.
While these interventions demonstrate progress, the wider assessment shows that many of the agencies responsible for delivering them are themselves operating under significant constraints.
Vehicles, manpower and equipment
Among the most widespread challenges identified by the CEOs was the shortage of operational and utility vehicles.
For agencies whose responsibilities extend across Taraba’s 16 local government areas, the absence of functional vehicles can severely limit supervision, monitoring, inspection and service delivery in remote communities.
The CEOs also identified shortages of junior and technical personnel, unresolved absorption of long-serving casual workers, inadequate office accommodation, dilapidated facilities, obsolete equipment, weak information and communication technology infrastructure and unreliable power supply.
The problem, therefore, is not confined to one sector or one agency. It cuts across the machinery through which government policies are implemented.
Rebuilding the institutions
The CEOs Forum, chaired by Dr. Garba Danjuma, described the agencies as critical instruments for implementing the governor’s five-point development agenda.
According to Danjuma, the consolidated report was intended to give the government a comprehensive picture of the achievements, performance, challenges and support requirements of the agencies.
The forum consequently recommended phased procurement of operational vehicles, timely release of approved funds, staff regularisation and recruitment, rehabilitation of facilities and replacement of obsolete equipment.
The recommendations point to a broader institutional reform agenda.
For Taraba, improving public service delivery will require more than injecting additional funds into government agencies. It will require ensuring that personnel are properly deployed, equipment is functional, offices are fit for purpose, vehicles are available for field operations and revenues are properly accounted for.
It will also require stronger monitoring to determine whether resources provided to agencies are translating into measurable improvements in the lives of citizens.
The consolidated report has thus placed a mirror before the Taraba State Government.
It shows institutions that have recorded notable achievements despite difficult operating conditions, but it also exposes weaknesses that could limit the sustainability and reach of those achievements.
If the government’s commitment to regular funding, capacity building, institutional discipline and improved accountability is translated into concrete action, the identified gaps could become an opportunity to rebuild Taraba’s public service.But if the operational deficiencies persist, agencies may continue to face the difficult task of implementing ambitious government policies with inadequate tools.
Ultimately, the real test will not be the number of recommendations contained in the report, but whether government institutions are equipped to convert policies into functioning services that citizens can see, access and rely upon.