The Governor of Benue State Hyacinth Alia has commended the federal government for it’s support and interventions to the state in all ramifications, especially through palliatives and rehabilitation of federal roads in the state.
Alia, while speaking with State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the assistance has been of huge benefit to the state and have gone a long way to ameliorate some of the challenges confronting the state.
“It’s on record to know that the programs just released have been of quite, huge benefits to us. The positives, were quite handy. To those who sort of feel palliatives is the wrong way to go, I said we need to understand the uniqueness of our various states.
“You know, like when in 2022 We had lots of flood that wiped out a number of farms. rice farms cassava, the corn beans and the rest of it all. So for supplementing this, the farmers and the market women the school children, it meant so much for us”, the governor affirmed
On the issue of security as well as farmers and herders clashes, The Governor said much work has been done and relative peace has returned to the state, while pledging to do more to promote peaceful coexistence in the state.
He expressed his commitment to ensuring all internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the state return to their ancestral homes and farmlands to engender growth and development.
“Insecurity in the past was causing a lot of trouble but we are pleased to let you know that so much work has been done and relative peace has returned to the state. And I will continue to do the work.
“The aim being that we want to get all the IDPs back home to their ancestral homes and sister farm lands. Before May 29, It was even very impossible for for the IDPs to get back to the ancestral places, even to farm this current season, they were able to go back and do this. However, we still have skirmishes of it.
“All the other security apparatuses are on it and are helping so much. So it remains our firm hope and resolution that we’ll get them back to their ancestral homes and we cannot thank the federal government enough for assisting us by all ramifications for us to be able to achieve this”, he said.
He expressed his appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for taking care of the federal roads in the States, adding that all federal roads cut across the state were awarded and for renovation..
Governor Alia also said efforts are underway to address inherited debt in the sum of 359 billion naira from unpaid salaries, gratuities, as well as foreign and domestic debts. Also that the state was putting measures in place to improve basic infrastructure.
“And since we came in, I know that Benue State on record has the debts of all over 359 billion naira. Being pensions and gratuities, salaries and arrears as well as the debts ranging from the poor and then the domestics. What we’re trying to do is to see how we can renegotiate these and then to get back on a better perspective and then to forge ahead with the development of this state”.
As part of activities to mark the state government’s 100 days in office, the Governor said “We celebrated our 100 days you know in a very grand style farmers had farm imputes. We also assisted parents to take care of some tuition of their children. For those who are to do their NECOl and WAEC the state government is taking care of those bills and registration, especially those in the government approved public schools”.
