Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has disclosed that his government has concluded arrangements to recruit 9,700 qualified teachers to bridge the existing gap in the student-teacher ratio in the state.
Governor Alia, who disclosed this during the burial of Tor Jechira, Chief Clement Uganden in Vandeikya Local Government Area, said the addition of teachers would enhance teaching and learning in public schools across the State.
According to him, the gesture will employ qualified youths and enable the government to deliver on one of its core campaign promises: revolutionising the education sector.
“This measure will help address the shortage of primary and secondary school teachers and enhance the quality of learning.”
He called for establishing Young Farmers Clubs across the state to promote youth engagement in agriculture. He added that his government will support club members‘ access to farmlands, tractors, fertilisers, and other inputs.
“The aim is to ensure that people of the state, especially farmers, are self-sufficient and can smile to the bank with the sale of their farm produce.
„I enjoin the youth, women and the elderly to collaborate with this administration to achieve the level of development we all desire.“
Earlier, the former Governor of the State, Sen Gabriel Suswam, acknowledged the development recorded by the Alia administration in the last year and called on the Benue people to support the Alia-led administration irrespective of political affiliation.
Suswam described the late Chief Uganden as a man of integrity who, during his lifetime, stood for the state‘s truth, peace and development.
„His demise has created a vacuum not only to the traditional institution but also the entire state and the country in general.“
