The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Governor of Benue State

  • Fulani group kicks as Ortom bans open grazing

    Fulani group kicks as Ortom bans open grazing

    …Tells Ortom to halt anti-grazing law

     

    A group, Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN) has asked the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom to halt the anti-grazing law.

    GAFDAN while describing the law as harsh and capable of causing breakdown of law and order requested that the law be suspended until alternative to open grazing is provided by the government.

    The Governor on Monday signed into law the bill tagged: ‘Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017’.

    The law provides a five-year jail term and the possibility of an additional N1million as fine for any violator.

    The reaction of the group is contained in a statement in Abuja Wednesday by its Secretary General, Alhaji Sale Bayari.

    The statement reads: “We are calling on Governor of Benue state, Mr. Samuel Ortom to immediately halt the enforcement of Benue State Anti-Grazing law called Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017, passed into Law on Thursday 4th May, 2017 by the Benue State House of Assembly and signed into law by the governor on Monday, 21st May, 2017.

    “This call has become necessary in view of the fact that our members, the herdsmen have not been provided with any alternative grazing spaces in the state before being asked to comply with this law.

    “The law provides for the provision or establishment of cattle ranches, but the law did not provide any clue as to how the herdsmen could access such ranches nor were they told how they could acquire these ranches for themselves and whether they could afford to do so.”

    It further read: “We want to advise the Governor and people (farmer) of Benue state not to use the enactment of such repressive and vindictive law to harass our members.

    “We appeal to the farmers to distance themselves from taking law into their hands against the herdsmen as this will lead to a serious breakdown of law and order.

    “We call on the government and people of Benue State to put this law on hold until an alternative to the open grazing is found or provided by the government.

    “It is our view and position that this law is too harsh, reprehensive, repressive and discriminatory by providing for a 5-year jail term and the possibility of an additional N1million as fine.

    “This law, in our opinion is a recipe for chaos if not looked into with a view to putting it on hold or to repeal if there is no alternative provided by the government for the herdsmen in the mean time before its enforcement by providing ranches for the herdsmen.”

    The group also urged the federal government to intervene. “We wish to call on the Federal Government to intervene immediately and directly through the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe who is coincidentally from Benue state, to halt this ugly situation.

    “It is an irony that it is the state where the Minister of Agriculture, a minister that the herdsmen should run to that would be the first state in the entire north to enact such hate law.”

    GAFDAN however called on its members in Benue state and sympathisers all over the country and diaspora to be patient, tolerant and obedient to all laws and security agencies and not take the laws into their hands no matter the unconstitutional provocation.

    It noted that it would continue to seek constitutional and peaceful means of ensuring that the law is made null and void through whatever means legal and lawful.

     

  • ‘Upgrade Aper Aku Stadium’

    ‘Upgrade Aper Aku Stadium’

    The Governor of Benue state, Dr Samuel Ortom has appealed to the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung to use his good office to assist the state in the establishment of a national football academy and upgrade the Aper Aku stadium to international standard.

    Ortom stated in an interview that the state lacked such facilities where international activities can take place.
    He said: “We are soliciting that you kindly facilitate our hosting of national and international sports festivals as this will open our state to investors. We propose a partnership with your ministry to host competitions such as schools sports, sports festivals and inter-collegiate competitions. These activities will help in identifying talents, promoting recreation, tourism as well as physical fitness of our young people.”

    In the same vein, Dalung commended the governor for providing good leadership attributes to the people of Benue state despite huge challenges facing the state.
    “I am here to inspect some of your sporting facilities and that of the Federal Government and also to invite your excellency
    to invest more in sports especially those sports like basketball and volleyball which Benue state monopolized back in the days. Benue must come back and take the lead in these two sports so that Nigeria can be represented in these sports internationally.

    The Minister later visited the Macarty stadium which also serves as club house for Lobi Stars, the Aper Aku stadium including the main bowl, the abandoned swimming pool project, dilapidated Tennis and basketball courts, the APC headquarters as well as the NYSC camp at Wannune Benue state.

  • Benue can account for bailout fund’- CPS to the Governor

    Against the backdrop of speculations that the Senate might probe into the way the bailout funds were managed in some states, the Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom has said he is unperturbed as he can account for the way every penny of the 28billion Naira that accrued to the State was utilised.

    Governor Ortom spoke through his Chief Press Secretary CPS, Mr Terver Akase in Makurdi, the State capital today. He said his administration welcome the proposed probe and described it as a way of strengthening accountability and prudent management of resources.

    Media reports had said that during its sitting on Monday, the Senate indicated that it is poised to probe Benue and Osun States over the disbursement of the bailout fund.

    “The call by the Senate is apt, it is the responsibility of the legislature to checkmate the executive and we in Benue State have nothing to fear because our government is anchored on transparency, accountability and the fear of God.”

    He said the State government utilised the bailout funds judiciously and transparently, expressing the willingness to account for it anytime.

    “We are happy with the call because it affords us the opportunity to tell the whole world how the bailout fund was transparently utilised by the Governor. The ICPC had investigated the State and did not find anything wrong. As far as we are concerned, there is no known case of any diversion of the bailout funds,” Akase stated.

    The spokesperson said his boss runs an open government with nothing to hide and therefore welcomes any move that will promote fiscal discipline, which said is already a tradition in their state.

  • Ortom appoints acting SSG

    Ortom appoints acting SSG

    The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has approved the appointment of Dr Bem Meladu, as the Acting Secretary to the State Government until further notice.

    Dr Melladu has been Special Adviser on Economic Investment.

    The letter conveying the appointment was signed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Honourable Terwase Orbunde.

    It said the appointment followed the ill health of the substantive Secretary to State Government, Mr. Targema Takema.

    The Chief of Staff also conveyed Governor Ortom’s directive deploying Dr Benjamin Teryima Ashaver, Special Adviser on Revenue and Taxation to cover for his colleague at Special Duties office.

  • As Suswam turns 50

    Mr. “Infrastructure” Gabriel Suswam, the Governor of Benue State has proven that he is a leader with the love of his people and is committed to ensuring rapid development of his state. His good intentions on assumption of office to alleviate the suffering conditions of Benue people made him to embark on life-changing projects most of which he has carefully executed   to a logical conclusion. We are   talking about a leader who does not play to the gallery nor one who plays politics with the welfare of the people.

    A predominantly agrarian society, Benue State was hitherto in a messy underdevelopment situation particularly in critical areas of infrastructure and physical projects. Think of how the deplorable roads were left in shambles, schools were not given facelift, public hospitals were underperforming as some of them became “mere consulting clinics”. The sports sector like the transport system were in a pathetic state requiring urgent attention. Similarly, the provision of pipe – born water, conducive housing, and other such amenities that make life worth living were in many places grossly inadequate. Other sectors of the state’s economy like security, information and communication, tourism, commerce and industrial development among others, were faced with various challenges.

    Benue’s turning point came in 2007 with the assumption of office of Governor Gabriel Suswam. A visionary leader, Suswam showed that he had a clear mission of improving the people’s conditions of living through infrastructural development thereby bequeathing lasting legacies to the upcoming  generations.

    That Benue State has witnessed unprecedented achievements under the administration of Governor Suswam is today glaring and indisputable. Uncountable development projects executed by this pragmatic leader have earned him nickname of ‘Mr. Infrastructure’.

    Governor Suswam took over a deplorable rural and urban road network. But today, he has completed over 500 kilometers of these roads within the state. These include, 65 kilometres Orokam-Owukpa-Okpoga-Utonkon road;  and others that are awaiting to be commissioned. The  prioritized construction of an extensive road network in the state is primarily targeted at providing adequate access to and from the rural communities so as to revitalize and boost  agriculture which is the mainstay of the state’s economy.

    To boost agriculture, the Suswam administration procured and distributed 147 tractors to farmers to enhance mechanized farming. This has been supported by timely procurement and distribution of assorted brands of fertilizers and improved seeds to farmers, as well as acquisition of modern knapsack sprayers for teeming farmers for weed control. The state government entered into partnership with the University of Iowa to achieve improved animal and crop production, processing, mechanization and  training which is manifested by the establishment of a modern piggery farm situated at the Akperan Orshi College of Agriculture Yandev in Gkoko local government area.

    Ensuring a significant infrastructural progress in the area of education, Governor Gabriel Suswam has, in the sector of science and information technology, seen to the establishment of three functional technical colleges in the three senatorial districts, the rehabilitation or construction of classrooms in the secondary and primary schools across the state. The governor has also intervened in the provision of infrastructure in the tertiary institutions by which his latest undertaking is the construction of an ultramodern female hostel and a world class Faculty of Law complex at Benue State University, Makurdi.

    Governor Suswam also gave  due attention to healthcare infrastructure  as can be seen in the completion and   new General Hospitals and the renovation of existing general hospitals in the 23 LGAs of the state. His intervention in the purchase of ambulances, drugs and modern health equipment transformed the delivery capacity of the General Hospitals for the better. The completion of the gigantic Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) is a signature project that was commissioned on March 9, 2012 with fanfare by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

    Apart from these, a gigantic water processing facility-the Greater Makurdi water works which has a capacity of 100,000 cubic meters per day was completed and commissioned the same day with the Teaching Hospital by Mr. President during his official visit to Benue state. Alongside, Governor Suswam has Other water projects in Otukpo and Katsina-Ala  were completed to cater for the needs of the people of those  areas.

    As a lover of sports, Suswam has committed adequate funds into the total renovation of the Aper Aku stadium which the attention given to  sport facilities has greatly helped the state owned Lobi stars football club to record appreciable performance at national sports events.

    Electrification of urban and rural communities is another key area which Governor Suswam has delivered creditably well. His administration has completed and commissioned electricity projects to over 300 communities. The objective is  to stimulate economic activities in the rural communities with the resultant positive impact on reducing poverty, generating employment and creating wealth.

    For a state famously confronted with dire security challenges, apart from enhancing peace and harmonious coexistence among the people, the Governor has acquired and donated operational vehicles including Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC), as well as communication gadgets to various security agencies in the state especially the Police to enhance their efficiency in the fight against crime.

    There is no doubt that Governor Suswam has written the name of his administration on the sands of history.  He has proven that he is leader with the interest of the people at heart, an exemplary leader who does what he says and who keeps his promises with the people.

    As he marks his golden age of 50, it is an auspicious time for him to do so because he is a role model, quintessential public servant and an epitome of hope to all and sundry.