The Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation was established on July, 2007 and is currently under the leadership of Hon. Abba Akawu Zagha as Commissioner and Alh. Lawan Yakubu as Permanent Secretary.
Planning, formulation and execution of Policies and Programmes aimed at Poverty reduction and Job Creation in the State.
Economic empowerment through Poverty Alleviation Programmes to the teaming population of Taraba State.
Provision of self-employment opportunities through Skills Acquisition Training Programmes.
Community development through mass mobilisation of the State populace to form viable Cooperative societies to enable them benefit from Government and Donor Agencies Programmes.
Liaising with Donor and Federal Government Agencies on Poverty Alleviation Programmes under the Central Bank, Bank of Industry etc.
Registration, Supervision and Education of Cooperative Societies.
Technical Assessment and Advice on Cooperative projects.
Organization of Cooperative Groups for farming and provision of Farm inputs.
Disbursement of Skills Acquisition materials/equipment.
Trained and empowered 240 Youths, Women and Handicaps in different Arts, Crafts and Trades in 2007/2008.
Trained and empowered (with Kits and working capital) 1,000 youths, women and disabled in 2009/2010. Most of the beneficiaries are now self-employed and have become employers of labour in their various fields of specialization.
The Ministry has registered more than three thousand Cooperative Societies and about 240 of them have been captured into the Cooperative Data Analysis System (CODAS) introduced by the Federal Government.
The Taraba State Government, through the Ministry, has disbursed the sum of Forty Million Naira (N40, 000, 000.00) to a Micro Finance Bank (AMAZON Integrated Services Ltd) to lend out to women, youths and other vulnerable groups in the State as revolving fund from 2007 to date.
The State Government has contributed, through the Ministry, a matching fund of Three Hundred and Fifty Million Naira to the Bank of Industry to raise a fund of Seven Hundred Million Naira to be loaned out to the indigenes of Taraba State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development in the State.
The Ministry has facilitated the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Taraba State Government and the Bank of Industry in respect of the TRSG-BOI Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund in Taraba State.
Successful organisation of Sensitization/Training workshop for Applicants of the TRSG-BOI Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund facilities in 2015.
Renovation of some dilapidated Offices in the Ministry and the successful flag-off for the disbursement of the TRSG-BOI Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development fund in 2016.
Hon. Abba Akawu Zagha, the Commissioner of the Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, was born in December, 1960. He hails from Karim-Lamido and is married with nine (9) children.
Hon. Abba began his educational career at Mutum-Daya Primary School from 1968-1974 and then enrolled into Government Teachers College, Jalingo, Grade III from 1977-1980 and same College, Grade II from 1981-1983.
He then proceeded to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi from 1999-2000 where he obtained a Diploma in Business Administration and Higher Diploma in Public Administration respectively.
He was the council leader, Karim-Lamido Local Government Legislative Council from 1992-1993.
1. 3-days workshop on Ethics and Values at Hiltop hotel, Jos – 2006.
2. Sensitization and Training workshop for Applicants of TRSG-BOI Loan Scheme at Jolly Nyame Stadium, In-door hall on 4th August, 2015.
1. Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters. 2nd January, 2015-29th May, 2015.
2. Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters, 2011-2015.
3. Executive Chairman, Karim-Lamido L.G.C. 1999-2002. The Hon. Commissioner enjoys Travelling and Farming.
Alhaji Lawan Yakubu, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry was born on 12th August 1969 and hails from Bali Local Government Area. He is married with nine (9) children.
• The Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola (In-View).
Fellow Institute of Professional Manager and administration of Nigeria (FIPMA) – 2013.
Fellow Certified Institute of Management (FCIM) – June 2012.
Certificate in Computer Appreciation from Nynghel Computer Training School – 12th July 2007.
Civil Service Examination from Kaduna Polytechnic – 10th September 2009.
1. Anti-corruption workshop on Contemporary Issues in Corruption Management at Local Government Level in Nigeria – 2006.
2. Workshop on Micro-credit finance and small Business Development – 30th August-1st September 2006.
3. 4-day Course on Modern Office System and Secretarial Roles and Responsibilities in the Current Environment 15th-18th April 2008.
1. Member, Board of Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority. 2002-2015.
2. Caretaker Chairman, Bali L.G.A by Former Governor Danbaba D. Suntai. February, 2011-May, 2012.
3. Caretaker Chairman, Bali L.G.A by former Governor Jolly Nyame. April-June, 2006.
He has a Publication on “An Assessment of Marketing Methods Adopted by farmers in Taraba state”. A Project Research work submitted to School of Management Technology, ATBU, Bauchi for the Award of MBA. 2005.