Benue State governor-elect, Dr Samuel Ortom, outlines how
his state intends to key into the oil to agriculture policy of
the incoming administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
Ortom spoke during a visit to the president – elect.
Nigerians are excited with the victory of Gen Muhammadu
Buhari as president. In Benue State, we are particularly
happy that we share a long history of affinity with him. This
starts right from his service in the Nigerian Army as a
Brigade Commander in the state.
There is no doubt that his victory in the presidential election
was fuelled by his strong conviction to serve Nigeria and
the tenacity which he exemplified throughout his aspiration
to the presidency. We admire this courage. His staying
power in the political struggle since 2003 is akin to the
fighting spirit in every Benue person. This is indeed the
same spirit that has led to the emergence of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), to form the collective will and
move Nigeria away from the decadence that pervaded in the
last couple of years.
Some key areas are of great concern to us in Benue. I will
begin with our agricultural richness.
Benue has vast potentials in agriculture. It is a huge base
for economic growth when properly harnessed. It is in this
light that we are truly encouraged and excited when Buhari
declared that his administration will shift focus from oil to
agriculture. To us in Benue, this singular move and perhaps
many more by the incoming administration would put the
state on the fast lane of economic growth where jobs and
wealth will be created for our people. It is a great show of
commitment in reviving the hidden treasures of the North.
We support this initiative completely.
Another critical issue is power. By this I mean electricity
generation and distribution. This sector is one that has
suffered from inconsistent policy decisions to outright
neglect. Like every other state, Benue needs a leap from the
present decay in the sector to boost economic
empowerment. We therefore need to put necessary
infrastructures in place to guarantee steady power supply
which would support the drive of my administration to
create an enabling environment to support small, medium
and large scale enterprises. Secondly, our industrialisation
policy, which is in tandem with the APC manifesto, would
remain a mere dream if the power sector is not tackled
quickly.
Let me draw our attention to a very familiar threat to lives
and property in this country. And that is insecurity. As we all
know, no country or state can develop without security.
When we live in peace, we can then put in place strategic
plans to boost our economic development. We are all too
familiar with the incessant clashes between pastoralists
and farmers in many parts of the country. From Benue to
Plateau, Taraba to Zamfara, Katsina and name it. Several
communities have been sacked by these people whose
business it has been to spill innocent blood. For us in Benue,
our people who are mostly farmers can not even afford to
go to their farms any longer for the fear of these people. Our
new government in Benue will be happy to partner with the
Federal Government to bring this menace to an end as soon
as possible.
Inland waterways is another source to job creation and
wealth generation. It is with this in mind that I see prospects
in River Benue which is ripe for dredging.
This accounted for earlier plans by successive governments’
plans to dredge the river which will in turn facilitate and
boost inland port activities including a Makurdi River port.
The dredging of River Benue will also elevate the status of
the Nigerian Naval Base in Makurdi. The operations of the
navy here will become more functional and add to the
security cover around the state.
Ordinarily, we would not have bothered to shout on top of
our voices on this matter if it had not occurred in the past. I
talk of the relocation of the Nigerian Army Institute of
Technology and Environmental Studies within NASME,
Makurdi to Abia. Sometime in the past, we had watched
helplessly as the Nigerian Tubers and Root Crops Board was
relocated from Makurdi to Umudike also in the East. This
should not happen again. We appeal to His Excellency to
prevail on the authorities concerned to rescind the decision
to relocate this school from Benue. Youths and
unemployment is a sore taste in our mouth as leaders. For
us in Benue, our strategy as we take over the reins of power
is to encourage micro, small and medium enterprises as
well as encourage inreased trading and commercial
activities.
The core thrust of this policy is to eradicate ignorance,
poverty and disease. With this, there will be jobs for the
teeming youths as quickly as possible for us to enjoy peace.
I will like to express the will of our people for the
candidature of our leader, Senator George Akume, for the
office of president of the Senate. In advanced democracies,
leaders move up the ladder after exhibiting tremendous
capabilities in their responsibilities. Senator Akume has
shown more than enough of these qualities. It is under the
leadership of this distinguished Nigerian that the APC grew
in leaps and bounds within the North Central region.
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