By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
Reactions have continued to pour in following the nomination of the Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, as the “Best Governor on International Cooperation and Development 2025” by the Nigerian NewsDirect Newspaper. Stakeholders across government have described the recognition as a well-deserved endorsement of the Governor’s visionary leadership and expanding global profile in development cooperation.
The Chairman of the Benue State House of Assembly Standing Committee on International Cooperation and Development, Hon. Douglas Ackya, commended the nomination, calling it apt and reflective of the Governor’s achievements. Speaking during a telephone interview with NewsDirect’s Correspondent on Monday, Hon. Ackya noted that Governor Alia has repositioned Benue State as a credible partner for international development actors, with visible progress already recorded in just two years.
He recalled that the Benue State House of Assembly had earlier passed a vote of confidence on the Governor for similar achievements, citing the remarks made at the time by the then Chairman of the House Committee on SDGs and Donor Relations, Hon. Terwase Peter Uche. According to him, the Assembly’s earlier position had already affirmed the Governor’s impressive approach to donor coordination and his commitment to strengthening Benue’s development systems.
In a separate reaction, the Director General of the Benue State Bureau for International Cooperation and Development (BICD), Aondoaseer Leo-Angelo Viashima, described the nomination as a natural outcome of Governor Alia’s deliberate efforts to expand Benue’s global partnerships. Speaking at the BICD headquarters in Makurdi after receiving the official nomination letter for onward transmission to the Governor, he said the honour did not come as a surprise given the Governor’s consistent push to place Benue on the global development map.
Viashima noted that one of the administration’s standout achievements includes making Benue State one of the few sub-national governments globally to fully support the deployment of United Nations Volunteers, thereby spotlighting the state’s youthful population on international platforms.
He added that several development initiatives and partnerships have been steadily expanding under the Governor’s watch, aided by the establishment of a well-structured and functional Bureau for International Cooperation and Development.
Both Hon. Ackya and Viashima expressed appreciation to the people of Benue—home and in the Diaspora—for their unwavering support to the Governor. They encouraged citizens, government institutions, partners, and stakeholders to celebrate the Governor as he prepares to receive the prestigious NewsDirect Award on November 28, 2025.
