The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Governor Samuel Ortom

  • Benue to relaunch monthly sanitation

    Benue to relaunch monthly sanitation

    In order to enhance cleaner environment, the Benue state government is to relaunch the monthly sanitation exercise.

    Disclosing this when the leadership of the Union of Tipper and Quarry  Employers  of Nigeria, Benue state chapter, called on him at Benue People’s House Wednesday, Governor Samuel Ortom said cleanliness is next to Godliness.

    The governor said the state government would partner with the union and directed the commissioner for water resources and his special assistant on sanitation and public utility to liaise with the members on the various ways of promoting partnership.

    He said he was aware that the union gives a lot of services and employ a lot of people and assured that efforts would be made towards providing the members with another operational site after the old one had been given to Benue Links after litigation.

    Ortom urged the leadership of the union not to further lament the loss of their operational site, stressing that the commissioner for works and the special adviser on lands and survey would work towards providing a new site.

    He promised to look into the issue of inclusion of a member of the union in the government when the situation improves and assured that their services would however be required by the state government.

    Earlier, the Chairman of the Union of Tipper and Quarry Employers, Benue state chapter, Mr Fidelis Orhungwu Ahuraza, who spoke through Mr Akajime Dyoro, had said they were not surprised that Governor Ortom has had elevation since he served as council chairman and became party official at state and national levels before becoming minister because of his transparent nature.

    Ahuraza said Governor Ortom has been fighting corruption and added that they have been witnesses to the renovation at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, graduation of medical students and the declaration of every Friday as work-free day for workers to go to farm.

  • Former senate president backs Ortom on fight against corruption

    Former senate president backs Ortom on fight against corruption

    Former Senate President, Senator Ameh Ebute, today joined the ranks of major stakeholders across the state who have urged Governor Samuel Ortom to sustain the fight against corruption in the state and also ensure that looted funds are recovered.

    Senator Ebute spoke at the Okpokwu Hall in Okpoga where the Governor held a township meeting with prominent sons and daughters from Ado, Okpokwu and Ogbadibo local government areas.

    “We support your fight against corruption in the state and efforts to recover the funds looted by officials of the previous administration,” he stated.

    “We knew they were looting but there was nothing we could do. Thank God that you have come to fight for us. Please ensure that the funds are recovered.”

    The former Senate President also commended Governor Ortom for being accessible to the people and for initiating the Town hall meetings which he described as the first of its kind in the state.

    Other speakers at the occasion included Jacob Ogwuche, Professor Jerry Agada, Chris Abah, Mr Bernard Ochepa, Dr Moses Obande, Frank Adejo Audu, John Abutu, David Idoko, Ladi Onazi, Bishop Daniel Agbese and Ada Ogbadibo, Prince Agbo Enenche.

    They also appreciated the town hall meetings and development efforts inspite of the hard times but raised concerns about insecurity, unemployment, delayed payment of salaries and pensions, internally generated revenue, deforestation, as well as critical infrastructure.

    Governor Ortom promised to address the issues raised especially when the economy of the state improved.

    He maintained that if the N107 billion loot was recovered, it would be used for the payment of all outstanding arrears of salaries and pensions which he said amounted to about N40 billion while the balance would be used to develop the state.

    The Governor announced that the State Executive Council would soon approve the award of contract for the electrification of Ichama in Okpokwu local government area as provision had been made for the project in the 2016 budget.

  • Ortom offers N5million for information on kidnapped priest

    Ortom offers N5million for information on kidnapped priest

    Governor Samuel Ortom has offered to pay N5 million for information on the whereabouts of Very Reverend Father John Adeyi, the kidnapped Vicar General of Otukpo Catholic Diocese.

    The government said in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and ICT, MR Tahav Agerzua, that it was regrettable that one month after the unfortunate incident, security agents were yet to apprehend the culprits and rescue the priest and appealed to members of the public to assist with information about the whereabouts of the priest.

    He said any person or group who offers such information would be paid N5 million as reward and expressed worries of the government and people of the state on the incident.

    He said security agents have acted on previous information and combed several places without positive results, hence the imperative of making the offer.

    Governor Ortom also solicited sustained prayers for the release of the priest adding that with God, nothing is impossible.

    He assured the Christian community that the government and entire people of the state were in solidarity with them for the rescue of the priest.

    He also expressed sympathy with the family of the late General Gabriel Kpamber (retired) who lost his life in a fatal motor accident at the weekend and prayed God comfort them and the entire people of the state on the irreparable loss.

    The Governor said after serving his country meritoriously in the armed forces the late Kpamber also offered dedicated service to the state as chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission, BESIEC, and requested peaceful repose of his soul.

     

  • Aisha Buhari donates relief materials to IDPs in Benue

    Aisha Buhari donates relief materials to IDPs in Benue

    The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on Wednesday donated assorted relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mrs. Buhari, who was in Benue to empathise with the state government on the recent farmers/herdsmen crisis, was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Oludolapo Osinbajo.

    Donating the materials at Nogowa Secondary School, Wadata Camp, Makurdi, Mrs Buhari commiserated with the bereaved families, saying that the government was committed to their plight.

    She said that the Federal Government understood what the victims were passing through and assured them that government would not abandon them at this point of their sufferings.

    “I have heard and seen your cries. Cry no more, for we are with you.

    “Today in Benue I have seen old and young men, women and children in the camp and I can see that they have gone through a lot of pains.

    “I have seen that by their looks, it is evident that they are tired of living in the camps but they have no homes because their homes have been destroyed.

    “We are really worried about your situation but do not lose hope we are with you, and we will never abandon you at this point of your need,” Mrs Buhari said.

    Earlier in his remarks, Gov. Samuel Ortom appealed to the Federal Government to tighten security at boarders to end the continued influx of foreign herdsmen into the state.

    Ortom explained that foreign herdsmen were behind the incessant attacks on his people since 2011.

    The governor said, “Unless they are chased out, it would be hard to maintain peace in the country.

    “These herdsmen are very destructive and well-armed. They kill women and children on sight.

    “They are completely different from the Fulani’s that we have lived and cohabited with over the years.

    “We understand that the herdsmen came from Mali, Ghana, Congo, Niger among others and are killing us every day with impunity. This must stop.

    “As we speak, over eight Local Governments have been affected across the state. The situation is really overwhelming,” said the governor.

    The governor said that there was no land for grazing in the state, explaining that all lands belong to farmers in the state.

    He said that 85 per cent of the state population were farmers and occupied the little available land, adding that it would be difficult to create a grazing reserve in the state.

    He suggested that the herdsmen should rather embrace ranches as it was being practiced in developed countries.

    NAN reports that Mrs. Buhari donated rice, multivitamins supplements, cooking oil, garri, tomatoes to the Benue IDPs.

     

  • Benue south re-reun: Opposition planning to unleash mayhem – Ortom

    Benue south re-reun: Opposition planning to unleash mayhem – Ortom

    Ahead of Benue south senatorial district re- run on Saturday Governor Samuel Ortom said the opposition party has plans to unleash mayhem on voters in other to intimidate them from voting .

    Governor Ortom however assured the people of zone c who have their permanent voters card to turn out in their numbers and exercise their franchise .

    The Governor stated that as Chief Security Officer of the State he wishes to assure them that adequate security has been provided for people to be able to come out and exercise their franchise freely without molestation.

    He said the state government was aware of plans of the opposition to intimidate voters and cajole them into voting against their choice adding that a governor from an opposition state even came to Benue with militants who have threatened to unleash mayhem on voters.

    According to the Governor they were bent on causing confusion because they know that their party cannot win on a level playing ground.

    The Governor assured that all the conventional security agencies from Benue and neighboring states have been mobilized to give protection to voters in particular and citizens in general.

    “Our administration which won election popularly and overwhelmingly without resort to thugs or violence is committed to providing a level playing field for the people to vote in a free, fair, and transparent election,” he stressed.

    “Let the will of the people prevail.”

    Governor warned those who have no business with the election to steer clear of the district as security agencies will deal decisively with those bent on causing trouble and hindering the electoral process.

    He however, assured voters and those going about their normal business that they have nothing to fear.

  • Ortom raises accounting panel

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has inaugurated a committee on International Public Sector Accounting Standards to overhaul its accounting system.

    Speaking while performing the ceremony at the old Banquet Hall of the Benue Peoples House, Ortom said: “The importance of this committee lies in the fact that it is capable of modernising the state government accounting system in line with internationally accepted standards.”

    He added: “We hope that with the adoption of the accounting standards the state would increase its eligibility for access to economic benefits from donor agencies and other sources development funds.”

    Ortom said his administration welcomed initiatives that enhance its credibility before partners and inspired the confidence of the people.