Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State on Wednesday called for a sincere collaboration between the North-Central Development Commission (NCDC) and the Benue State government to restore enduring peace and boost rural development in the state.
The Governor stated this at the government house in Makurdi while playing host to the Board and Management of the Commission, led by Barr. Cosmos Akighir and Dr Cyril Tseenyil, who were in the state for a courtesy call.
He said his administration’s priority is to ensure insecurity is reduced to the barest minimum and the people living in IDP camps are finally resettled.
He said, “We have done a lot to ensure we have peace in the state. We have drastically reduced the number of local governments that were gravely infested by insecurity.
“Already, there is relative peace in other larger parts of the state. But security is like a monster. Cut the tail, and another part of the body will spring up. Cut the hand, and you see another part of the body developing to cause havoc.
“Most importantly, we are resolute that our people must go back to their ancestral homes. The people of Benue State deserve peace to continue to feed the nation”.
Other areas he solicited for collaboration include: agriculture, employment and infrastructure in the rural areas.
“Agriculture value chain must be on the front burner to create overreach on the demands”, he stated.
“In our budget this year, we have prioritised rural development. But because these particular areas were neglected for a long time, no matter how much money you budget for this area, it will not be easy to have an immediate impact, hence the need for support from your commission”, he added.
The Governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, called on the Board and Management of the Commission to try their best to be apolitical, adding that once politics is introduced into a very sensitive commission like theirs, the main aim would be defeated.
