I’ll Make Benue Productive Again-Governor-Elect, Alia

Posted by Rotimi Fadeyi Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Wednesday, April 5th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Benue State Governor-elect, Hyacinth Alia on Wednesday said the civil service in the state was near collapse, stressing that his administration would restore life to the system and make it productive again.

According to him, the civil service was in such situation as being in Intensive Care Unit and needed urgent attention to revive if for the progress and development of the state.

Alia, who spoke with State House Correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, said he came to the Villa on a thank-you visit. He was

Alia, a Roman Catholic Priest turned politician, was ushered in to see the President by a Minister of Special Duties and former Governor of the state, George Akume.

While stressing the sorry state of the Benue state civil service, the governor-elect said the state owes a backlog of salaries, pensions and gratuities which he hopes to pay when he assumes office on May 29

“It is sad that the life of civil service in the state is near collapse, it’s in the ICU, so I just need to said get in there and infuse life in it and keep it moving.

“We have a lot of backlog of unpaid salaries, pensions, and gratuities.

“So, already I have got much on the desk to keep a good focus on and I remain hopeful that I am going to do just that,” he said.

“Once I’m sworn in, I know that what the good people of Benue want are progress and development and there’s so much that we need to put on track for things to work.

“Benue state is an agrarian zone and so we must focus on agriculture and upgrade it.

“Benue is capable of feeding the whole nation, so we are not just the food basket of the nation by name and I am hoping that we will up our game in agriculture and take care of the rest as well,” he

Speaking on the clashes between farmers and herdsmen aggravated by the existing anti-grazing law, Alia said “one thing must remain clear, when you say that the atmosphere was quite tensed, let it be on record that Benue people are very hospital people.”

“We are a very friendly people and over the ages, we’ve lived with all cultures and different people. And so, if some mishap had happened in the last eight years, thank God the eight years has expired.

“I want everyone to feel that Benue is a home for everyone. If there were some errors, I am coming to correct them”, he added