Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia has met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with requests of assistance on the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons in the State.
The Governor is also seeking for Federal Government’s support in reducing about N400b inherited debt of the State.
Addressing State House Correspondents on his aim of visiting the Nigerian President, the Benue State Governor said his visit was premised on updating the President on the state of affairs in Benue State.
He commended the release of palliatives to States to cushion the effect of subsidy removal on citizens saying that the measure had brought succor to the people of Benue.
“It is on records to note that the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu has been of immense benefit to Benue State. For assisting us in supplementing grains to farmers, market women and others it means so much to us.
“In 2022, we had a lot of floods that affected rice, cassava, beans farms among others. But these Palliatives released by the government has been beneficial to the state, it remains our firm hope and resolution that we will get the IDPS back to their ancestral homes” the Governor said
Alia stressed that the support by the Federal government has only encouraged Benue State to do more in food production.
“It geared us up to do the best we can in food production.”
The Benue Governor noted that relative peace has returned to his State thereby allowing farmers to return to farms in due season.
“On insecurity, we are pleased to know that so much has been done and relative peace has returned to the state. Before May 29, it was impossible for the IDPS to return to their farms but this current season they are able to farm although the state is not left with pockets of security challenges.”
He lauded the efforts of the Security forces in the state saying that the military and others have continued to provide security for the state.
“The security apparatuses have continued to give support to secure the state” he added.
Speaking further on the debt issues of the State, the Benue State Governor said that, “before we came in on May 29th, Benue State on record had debt of over 359b naira out of which were pension funds gratuities, salaries in areas as well as the debts from foreign and domestic borrowings.
“We are trying to renegotiate to get back on a better prospective and forge ahead in the development of the state,” he added.
Also briefing journalists at the State House, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, said that President Tinubu was concerned about the condition of the four kidnapped Nasarawa State University students.
He also mentioned that he briefed President Tinubu on the general state of security in Nasarawa adding that the Military played a major role in the safe release of the students from their abductors.
He said, “the President wanted to find out a few things happening in my state especially with the kidnap of the four students in Nasarawa state. He was interested in knowing what happened. God so kind, they were released yesterday, the military did a very good job and we were able to get them released without paying anything to anybody.”
Governor Sule further disclosed that the President was also interested on the groundbreaking event of the new Lithium processing facility in Nasarawa.
He made known that the facility, the first of its kind in Nigeria will have the capacity to produce 18,000 tonnes of processes.
“As far we are concerned in the state, I will say we are calm and focused. He wanted to know about the progress of the breakthrough on the Lithium processing and I mentioned the Minister of solid minerals, Dele Alake and I were there for the groundbreaking. The process facility will produce 18000 tonnes of process.”
Senator Aliyu Wamako who also paid a visit to the President on Friday said that President Tinubu has renewed the hope of captains of industry and has renewed the hope for the youths by involving them in the business of governance.
“Nigeria is lucky to have President Tinubu at this critical period. He is a technocrat that understands the business of governance. He is supportive. He is a detribalised Nigeria who believes more in capacity.”
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