By Chief Solomon Iorpev
In just over two years in office, His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia has brought a wave of hope and transformation to Benue State. His administration has made significant strides in various sectors, including education, healthcare, infrastructure, and economic development. This purposeful driven leadership earned him “Governor of the Year” in 2024.
Governor Alia has prioritized education, recognizing it as the bedrock of meaningful development. He has implemented policies to improve education standards, including paying examination fees for students in government-approved public secondary schools sitting for WAEC and NECO examinations. He has also established the University of Agriculture, Science, and Technology at Ihugh in Vandeikya and opened a Benue State University campus at Adikpo (Faculty of Technology). He declared a state of emergency on primary education and has directed that storey buildings must form part of the infrastructure at government owned primary schools. He also approved the employment of over 9000 teachers to fill up the deficit in that sector.
Governor Alia has also introduced computer-based learning in basic education and sponsored students to national and international competitions, and increased enrollment in public schools through statewide advocacy campaigns. He has also revived nursery sections in public primary schools and promoted girl-child education in the communities that once lagged behind. The payment of salaries and allowances of teachers and lecturers in schools of higher learning is a norm and promotions have become a constant.
Governor Alia has also made significant achievements in healthcare, rejuvenating the Benue State University Teaching Hospital and upgrading healthcare facilities across the state. The opening of the Muhammadu Buhari Mother and Child Hospital has reduced maternal mortality rates. His administration has also demonstrated commitment to ensuring citizens have access to quality healthcare and improving healthcare delivery services statewide. His push for the establishment of a cancer center is outstanding and the drive for a pharmaceutical hub to ensure adequate drugs in the state is unprecedented. He is also paying close attention to medical staff welfare which has extended to those studying medicine at the faculty of medicine at the university. His excellency has also added a workforce of over 500 to the teaching hospital to guarantee five star service delivery . Providing solar power for the teaching hospital to defect their dependence on public power supply is a master stroke that has placed the hospital on an international scale.
His Excellency Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia has declared war on the bad or decaying infrastructure in the state. Knowing that infrastructure is the bedrock of any meaningful development, Governor Alia has successfully constructed over 390 kilometers of roads across the state. 26 of these roads are within the Makurdi metropolis, alongside underpass projects aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving road safety in makurdi and Gboko and has also awarded same for Otukpo LGA. He has opened up the state in the rural areas and connected local governments with roads meant to boost agricultural production and improve the economy.
The governor has also renovated several government buildings and infrastructure across the state. The construction of strategic roads, flyovers, and underpasses in Makurdi and Gboko local governments, and the installation of streetlights, are commendable projects that will significantly ease the movement of people, goods, and services, facilitating economic development.
Governor Alia has focused on grassroots development, implementing policies tailored to meet the needs of the state’s residents without favoritism. He has empowered women and youth, enabling them to become self-reliant and contribute to the economic growth and development of Benue State in particular and Nigeria at large. His administration has also implemented initiatives to support local businesses, creating jobs and driving economic progress.
His excellency has also demonstrated commitment to public servants by ensuring prompt payment of salaries and pensions. He has implemented a minimum wage of N75,000.00, significantly motivating public school teachers, improving their financial stability, and boosting their morale. He has also renovated and furnished the state secretariat, providing a conducive working environment for one and all.
What Governor Alia has done in the past two years can only be compared to what the late Aper Aku did and what father Adasu had begun before his administration was truncated. Indeed, the man has been deliberate in his attempt to take Benue out of the woods of underdevelopment. It is no wonder that the governor has received several awards and recognitions, including the MSMES Award for supporting the development and growth of Micro, Small, and Medium-Scale Enterprises in Benue State. He has also been applauded for achieving “unprecedented transformation” in the state’s basic education sector.o
In conclusion, Governor Hyacinth Alia’s leadership has brought hope and transformation to Benue State. His achievements in education, healthcare, infrastructure, economic development, and payment of salaries and pensions demonstrate his commitment to improving the lives of Benue State residents.
As Benue State looks to the future, it has become very clear that Governor Alia’s vision and leadership is very critical, central and key to continue to drive progress and prosperity for all in the next six years.
Indeed, the Alia the Better!!
Chief. Solomon Iorpev
Technical Adviser to the Benue State governor on Media, publicity and strategic communication.
