North Direct
Alia urges women to embrace First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative for empowerment
…As project 774 Explode kick starts
By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has encouraged women in the state to take advantage of the Renewed Hope Initiative launched by the Office of the First Lady of Nigeria, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu.
Governor Alia made the call on Saturday during the official flag-off of Project 774 Explode, an empowerment initiative by the Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Dr. Mary Idele Alile, at IBB Square in Makurdi. He urged the women to seize the opportunity to enhance their lives and those of their families.
The Governor acknowledged the role of women in the election that brought him on board as the Governor of the State, and assured that his administration will continue to promote gender sensitive reforms that will facilitate women’s direct engagement in decision making in the state.
He appreciated the First Lady of Nigeria, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu for her continued support, disclosed that 50 Benue citizens are on scholarship, food palliatives and many other assistance given to Benue State through her Renewed Hope Initiative.
He expressed profound gratitude to the national woman Leader of APC, for choosing Benue State as a suitable destination to flag off her 774 Explode Project.
The Governor maintained that Benue women will continue to queue into the policies and ideologies of President Tinubu’s administration and added his voice to the call by the National Woman leader of APC for Benue women to come out in their numbers to contest for political positions in the next general elections.
He offered 23 selected women one from each Local Government Area for free skills acquisition training in any field of their choices and promised to give each a grant of five hundred thousand naira to start a business, even as he said his administration was conscious of the 774 Explode initiative he would continue to support programs that would empower women in the state.
In her address, the APC National Woman leader, Dr. Mary Idele Alile acknowledged the pragmatic leadership of the state Governor, and described him as a champion of transformation.
She outlined the benefits of 774 Explode to women in Nigeria, thanking Benue women for turning out en masse to embrace the program.
In his keynote address, Hon. Denis Dzawua enlightened women on gender inclusiveness in politics and called on Benue women to come out and participate in the forthcoming local government elections.
The Special Advisor to the Governor on Women Affairs, Hon. Scholastica Ben-sor, explained that women’s huge presence at the occasion was a sign that Benue Women were all out to embrace the initiative of the APC National Woman leader.
The State Acting Chairman of APC, Hon. Benjamin Omakolo while delivering his goodwill message said Benue APC under the leadership of Governor Alia is very proud of the good work that President Tinubu is doing and they were solidly behind him.
The wife of the Honourable Speaker, of the 10th Benue state house of Assembly, Hon. Mrs. Kundumiyol Aondona Dajoh, in her good will message, lauded the initiative of the APC National Woman Leader which according to her has direct bearing on the lives of Benue women and the country at large.
Mrs. Dajoh thanked Mr. President and his amiable wife for having the plight of women at heart and implementing policies and programs that would better the lives of Nigerian women.
She described the APC National Woman Leader appointment as a round peg in a round hole that is making Nigerian women proud.
Nigerian NewsDirect reports that the state women’s personalities present at the occasion were; the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Ann Itoto represented by Eunice Tachia, the wife of the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Christie Ode, and wife of Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Cynthia Kundumyol Dajoh.
By Rauf Oyewole, Bauchi
The residents, students and other stakeholders in Adamawa state have commended the interventions and other landmark ongoing and completed projects awarded by the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
Some of the residents who spoke separately in different communities lauded the Commission for its people-centred projects. The residents who recalled the huge loss of lives and property to the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents appreciated the regional Commission for timely response and rebuilding the communities.
One of the residents, Isa Maigida who spoke in Michika said the intervention of NEDC in completing the Kuzumu bridge linking Mubi, Hong to Bazza and Michika towns that used to be a nightmare to residents has become a thing of joy after it was rebuilt.
According to him, “This bridge, since it collapsed some years back, we have lost a lot of people and property, particularly during the Boko Haram attack on us.
“The contractor that was handling the project did absolutely nothing but when NEDC came to look at it, the MD brought his team here and promised us that the Commission would do it and today as you can see the bridge is 100 percent completed. We are very happy, motorists, travellers and the communities around are happy,” he said.
Other residents in Madagali, Yola and Mubi, Gidado Bulus, Mohammed Mohamed and Bako Ibrahim also expressed gratitude to NEDC for its interventions, describing them as God-sent.
In all the schools, hospitals and project sites visited by the inspection teams, both students and the management of the schools expressed satisfaction with the various interventions which range from access roads, construction of classroom blocks, provision of solar energy-powered boreholes, bridges linking communities to medical buildings among others in the state.
While thanking the NEDC, Chief Medical Director of Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital, Professor Bakari Adamu Girei, the Provost, College of Education (COE) Hong, Professor Benson Baha, and the Vice Chancellor, Adamawa State University, Mubi, Professor Stephen Lagu appreciated the NEDC for the construction of the mega accident and emergency centre in the hospital and access road in the schools.
Also, the Managing Director of NEDC, Mohammed Goni Alkali who led the team on a three-day inspection tour of the Commission’s projects in the three senatorial districts expressed satisfaction with the state of most of the ongoing projects in the state.
He vowed to sanction defaulting contractors or any shoddy execution. He urged the contractors to abide by the agreement reached but promised to look into the challenges being faced to ensure the timely completion of all the projects.
Alkali while speaking with journalists over the weekend.said that, “The rationale of the visit is to simply assess the progress made, identify challenges and come up with solutions for the benefits of the state and its teeming people.
“Most of the projects across the states are doing well, I have seen them, we want to make sure that those having challenges are looked into and make sure we provide solutions to those problems so that they could be completed,” he said.
Some of the projects inspected include the ongoing construction of 500 housing units in the state capital, 40 housing projects in Hong, the ongoing construction of an accident and emergency unit in Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (MAUTH), solar-powered boreholes at FCE and Yola, also the installation of street lights in parts of Yola metropolis and the solar powered street lights in Adamawa state polytechnic.
Other projects inspected by the team include three mega schools being constructed in each of the senatorial zones of the state, a 2.5km access road at College of Education Hong, 40 housing units at College of Education (COE) Hong, 32km Garkida –Dabna road in which 14km has already been completed and Dilchim bridge which is under construction.
In an effort to keep the flood victims camps safe and ready for use during the impending flood, the Kogi State Government through the State Emergency Management Agency team led by the Executive Secretary, Alhaji Mouktar Atimah visited flood victims camps.
The inspection of the camps was sequel to the directive of the state governor Usman Ahmed Ododo that SEMA and other critical stakeholders in disaster management should be proactive and ensure the impending flood is properly managed.
Speaking after visiting flood estate in Ajaokuta local government on Wednesday, the Executive Secretary SEMA, said the inspection tour has helped to ascertain the conditions and level of damages on the facilities, adding that the visit will also aid in decision making and planning.
“The comprehensive report on this camp’s inspections tour will be transmitted to the State Government through the Office of Deputy Governor, the Board Chairman SEMA for further action,” Atimah added.
He further hinted that SEMA has begun sensitisation on the need to relocate to safer areas to avoid last minute rush.
“As part of our innovative strategy for effective handling of the NiMET’s 2024 flood predictions, SEMA will build more synergy and collaboration with Ministry of Education and other relevant Agencies to ensure that the camping arrangement should not disrupt students learning,” he stated.
…As Zone ‘C’ Elders endorse him for second term
By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
Benue state Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia, has assured the people of Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency of his administration’s readiness to resuscitate Otobi water works for enhanced service delivery.
Governor Alia made the promise while addressing the people of Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency at the peak of his thank you tour across the 23 local government areas of the state, explained that the Otobi water works when revived would reticulate water to residents of its host communities.
Alia told the people of Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency that prior to his assumption of office as the Governor the state was in total darkness but has been able to restore the lost light in the state.
The restored light according to the Governor is evident in the installation of street lights across Makurdi township and other major cities in the state, procurement of 100 buses for Benue links the only state transport company to cushion the high cost of transportation faced by Benue people, construction of roads across the state, construction of under passes in Makurdi, Gboko and Otukpo towns respectively, prompt payment of workers salaries, pensions and gratuities among many other projects to mention.
On the issue of security of lives and property, the Governor further told them that security issues are not discussed in the open rather they are seen through strategised actions.
“Before now, there used to be massive killings across the state, 90 persons killed in Guma, 60 persons killed in Logo, 40 persons killed in Gwer west and so on, but now the state under my leadership is experiencing relative peace and we are working round the clock to put a stop to the attacks on our people and ensure the return of IDPs from camps to their ancestral homes to continue with their usual farm activities,” Alia explained.
Alia appreciated the people of Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency for their support in the 2023 governorship election that recorded the highest number of votes first in the history of the state and the return of democracy and assured them of more democracy dividends to the constituency.
Senator Barnabas Gemade, General Lawrence Onoja rtd on behalf of the Benue State Elders Forum endorsed the Governor for a second term because of his unprecedented leadership disposition that brought about economic and infrastructural stability in the state.
They promised to remain supportive and protective to Alia’s administration to succeed and called on the people of the state to support his administration for more democracy dividends.
Rt. Hon. Mrs. Blessing Onuh, Member house of representatives Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency, said it was the first time in the history of the state that a sitting Governor goes round the nooks and crannies of the state to appreciate the electorates on a job well done by voting him massively into the office of the governor.
“Your Excellency, what you have done is a true reflection of a visionary leader with numerous achievements recorded courtesy of you within one year, we will continue to support you,” Mrs. Onuh maintained.
In a goodwill message, all Benue state House of Assembly members from Otukpo/Ohimini, threw their collective weight behind the Governor because of the unprecedented achievements recorded within a short period in office as the Governor.
They promised to be collaborating with the Governor for the overall good of the state and their respective constituencies.
They thanked the Speaker of the Benue state House of Assembly and the Vice Chairman North Central, Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria Rt. Hon. Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, who is the reason for the cordial working relationship between the executive and the legislature and the cordial relationship established among members of the 10th Benue Assembly.
“We will continue to support your positive policies and programs through quality legislation for the overall benefit of the masses of the state,” they assured.
In his remarks, the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Barrister Sam Ode mni, described the governor and his principal as a leader of few words that believe in actions rather than talking.
“The legacies that my principal is putting in place in the state shall continue to stand the taste of time for the generation yet unborn to benefit. I urge all and sundry to support his administration to succeed,” Ode urged.
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