The chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Benue State Chapter, Maurice Orwough, has raised the alarm over the uncountable number of orphans and school children in Guma local government due to sustained herdsmen attacks on the farming communities for over 10 years.
Orwough, who made this known while answering questions from journalists on his plans to develop the already ravaged LGA, called on international donor agencies to come to their assistance, especially in the area of education and healthcare, which is more critical to give hope to the traumatized population.
According to him, “My people are going through a lot. They are traumatised. Guma is the worst hit LG in terms of insecurity. That is why we have the highest number of out-of-school children, orphans, widows and even widowers.
“All the schools here, hospitals, worship centres, farms, houses and markets were completely razed. The few standing schools here are the ones occupied by Security agencies as their base, but as I came in as the council chairman, I am working on how we will relocate the security operatives and open those schools again for our children.”
He said the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari, through his Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during his visit to assess the humanitarian crises in the state, promised to reconstruct, rehabilitate and resettle the IDPs and afterwards donated N10millon to them for skill acquisition and petty trade for a start which they are still expecting. The ALGON chairman also disclosed that he had put the necessary machinery in place to increase the local government’s internally generated revenue, which has now risen from the mere N100,000 he met to over N600,000 in less than a year in office.
“Most of the markets in the area which were deserted as a result of insecurity were now picking up; my administration will give road construction attention for easy access to these markets, now that I have successfully put an end to insecurity in the area.
“I also want to appeal to the people, especially those in other LGs still grappling with insecurity, to be patient with their council chairmen doing everything possible to stop the persistent attacks on their communities. We came in with the zeal to work,” he added.
He described Guma as the most backward LGA in Benue, even though the former governor came from the area.
“We don’t have roads, and our people are trekking from a distance to get water even in Gbajimba, which is the headquarters and immediate community of the former governor. There is no school or hospital; the only hospital here is the General Hospital, which is in a dilapidated condition.”
While tasking the chairmen to be more responsive to their communities’ needs, the Benue ALGON boss emphasized the importance of regular presence in their offices rather than operating in the state capital, Makurdi, to ensure targeted project implementation and avoid duplication.
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