Infrastructure: Benue People Eager To Renew Our Mandates – Alia

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has said people of the state are eager to renew the mandate they gave him and President Bola Tinubu at the 2027 general election as a reward for the infrastructure and other aspects of development being witnessed across the state.

Alia said this during a media chat after the Renewed Hope Ambassadors and the Presidential Media Team, under the leadership of the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, inspected major federal and Benue State government projects across the state.

The governor noted that the infrastructural revolution and socio-economic transformation being witnessed in the state over the last three years had endeared both the president and himself to the people, whose responses showed they were ready to vote them for a second term.

Alia said most of the impactful projects and programmes being carried out were what the people desired and why they voted for him and Tinubu in the first tenure, expressing confidence that they would renew their mandates to consolidate on those achievements.

The governor reassured the people that his second term would bring more development to the state and called for their support in next year’s polls.

Alia said all that we are going, “they wanted it, we brought it, gone above and beyond to ensure durability. Therefore, we push everything back into their hands. This was the mandate you gave us. There are many more things I have to do going forward in the second term.

“So am I a worthy servant just to keep going forward because when you send me, I go and you see results, and these are results that you wanted? So, is it ideal that you send me again? They have already given me the answer that yes, Father, you are worth our ‘sent’ and then we’re going to do this.

“So I’m all in their hands, but what we have on the ground is what they desired. They kept me accountable, and the federal government provided a lot for us. So we were able to ensure that what we got is being felt, seen and used by the very people who sent us,” Alia said.

The governor said that, like the federal government, his administration has introduced reforms that have altered the status quo, slowing the pace of development even after 50 years of the state’s existence.

According to him, such reforms, especially financial discipline and prudence, have put the state back on the track of progress not felt for some years.

“For those who were in Benue, say five years back, you knew what it looked like, and by coming back now, you can tell what it is because there is a political will.

Benue is a large state with 23 local government areas, a large land area, and a population of about 7 million. It’s large. But again, what modus operandi was being exhibited and executed by leadership previously?

“I believe that you cannot keep doing one thing all the time and expect a different result. So we need to bring in reforms. And when you bring in reforms where there is so much drought of funds, drought of ideas, again drought of implemented projects on the ground, you really have to sweat, and you sweat badly.

“The reforms we have brought to bear are the ones that are giving us results. But then reforms face pushback from those who have enjoyed the same old status quo. Don’t do this. It was not here, but we still lived and existed. So would the Earth stop going round if we did them? So the answer is no.

“The status quo now becomes a problem. Are they roads that we will eat? No, it’s not roads that you will eat, but at the same time, intrinsically, you will enjoy the roads, and you will eat the roads because they have gone through your farms, they have gone through the market square, and then from the produce on the farm, they are coming back to the buyer in the town or in some suburban area. So it means you are still eating the roads.

“We’re augmenting the state in a manner that people have already started enjoying the reforms that are here. Parents are enjoying not paying any school fees for their children from basic one to basic nine because we are using their own money, held in the custody of the government leadership, to take care of this.

“We have taken care of the primary health system now. If you have malaria, you don’t have to leave my village to come all the way here to spend three and a half hours being treated for malaria (state capital).

“I think that takes care of several things, and it’s the same thing with the primary schools and all that. So why are we able to do this? Initially, there was some resistance. If you look back in history, reforms face resistance, and I think it’s part of what even the federal government might be suffering from. So much is done,” Alia said.

The governor attributed his administration’s successes to the availability of federal funds and the good relationship between the centre and the state, which had been lacking before he assumed office.

“With the much money that the federal government is giving us, thank God you have been out there, you have seen that this money is being translated into those projects – Otobi Waterworks, series of roads and the underpasses, schools, hospital systems… It’s the only way to go.

“We had to renew our relationship, and I thank God we actually feel quite superb. The federal government, Mr President, has been quite good to us, the sub-national. What we receive from our federation account is what enables us to do what we do. The attention we have given to reenergising our internally generated revenue enables us to do what we are doing today and to ensure we pay without owing anyone.

“So there is a very good relationship between the federal government and us, and this is why when we are rejoicing, they’re here rejoicing with us. When we are mourning, they are feeling the pinch too, and they’re here with us to mourn.

“So why is so much attention given to us? There are many appointments we enjoy because of this friendship. We didn’t have that prior to my coming in. There’s so much that the federal government is giving because of our position where we are,” Alia added.