Benue State governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has hailed the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led federal government for supporting all the states of the federation with palliatives to help reduce the impact of subsidy removal in the country.
The governor made this known on Tuesday, December 19th, 2023, while flagging off the third phase of the palliatives distribution exercise in Benue, at the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) office, in Makurdi.
He described the palliatives as an effort meant to momentarily cushion the effects of the subsidy removal, enabling the people of Benue to forge ahead and in the end, achieve the status of the food basket, through food security.
According to the governor, Benue state took delivery of 25 trucks of maize, 35 trucks of rice and the grains will be distributed state wide, adding that it is not going to be exclusive for any political party, as the entire people of the state are meant to benefit.
He said apart from the 100 buses procured and handed over to Benue Links Transport Company Limited, the state government had earlier procured and distributed fertilizers to farmers across the state, with plans in place to register WAEC and NECO for students in government approved schools as well as train ten thousand youths in different ICT programs.
He promised further that his administration’s focus on road construction will be shifted to the rural areas in the coming weeks, adding that the Government will consider recruitment into the state civil service as early as January, 2024.
While reiterating his administration’s readiness to prioritize good governance through the provision of infrastructure, security and prompt payment of salaries and pensions, the governor said his party, APC, was elected to offer succour and good governance and as such, he will do his best to put the state on the pedestal of greatness where it should be.
He warned those against the relative peace the state has enjoyed in recent times to take refuge elsewhere, as they will not be allowed by the government and the good people of the state to achieve their aim.
Earlier in their separate addresses, the Chairman of the Palliatives Distribution Committee and Honourable Commissioner for Power and Transport, Barr. Omale Omale as well as the Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Aondoakaa Iorpuu, all appreciated the president for the initiative.
They thanked governor Alia for ensuring equitable distribution of the palliatives and for injecting the intervention in areas that are impactful on the people of the state.
They promised to ensure the judicious and equal distribution of the grains to the appropriate quarters.