Benue state governor Samuel Ortom on Sunday 29th May, 2022 clocked seven years in office. He is the fifth civilian governor of the state after Aper Aku, Rev Father Moses Adasu, Senator George Akume and Senator Gabriel Suswam. JOHN SHIAONDO reports on his scorecard.
In the build up to the 2015 governorship election in the state, Gov Ortom was unarguably the favourite of majority as he was in the forefront of all other aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but for a twist of denial, he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he finally emerged as governor. Nobody expected that a ‘garage tout’, as he usually referred to himself, would become governor.
During his inaugural speech in 2015, he said, “Our collective vision for a new Benue is designed to address the social economic status of Benue and chart the way forward to a prosperous state where the people would galvanise their economic growth based on her comparative advantage in agriculture.”
According to the document, the five point agenda are encapsulated in good governance and revenue, security, agriculture-driven industrialisation, STEAM- based education and health care delivery, provision of critical infrastructure, women, gender, youths and people with disabilities.
Though faced with myriad of challenges ranging from unpaid salaries and pensions left by the past administration, herdsmen invasion, over-bloated wage bill and dwindling economy amongst others, the governor has made modest achievements in spite of the daunting challenges.
Road projects
Today as it is, road projects are springing up every corner of Makurdi, the state capital and major towns including Gboko and Otukpo.
Prominent among them is the Apir-Terwase Agbadu, Yakyor-Tse Poor, NKST Yina-International Market, Customary Court-Nyor Igyungu- George Akume way, Bambam – Kaamen, Mobile Barrack junction- Welfare quarters roads, among others. Others include Captain Dawn’s, Aper Aku, Isaac Shaahu, roads in Gboko, respectively. In Otukpo, the governor has completed more than five roads including the one that leads to home of the former Senate president, David Mark.
In the last seven years, the Ortom administration has awarded over 19 road contracts spreading across the three senatorial zones and are at various stages and totals over 1000 km.
When he mounted the mantle in 2015, he recalled contractors to 11 abandoned road projects most of which have since been completed.
This is in addition to 34 ongoing rural road construction and electrification projects being carried out by the Ministry of Rural Development and Cooperatives. The Ministry has also completed 38 similar projects left behind by the previous administrations.
Public institutions
The governor had also completed 42 primary healthcare centres, the deputy governor’s office and the new state House of Assembly complex.
Many other government institutions have been rehabilitated or rebuilt in the last four years. These include Ministry of Justice, Government College Makurdi, Government Girls Secondary School, Makurdi, among others. The governor has reconstructed the Tor Tiv Palace which is one of the best in the country while that of Och’ Idoma is under construction.
Agro-allied strides
Agriculture is the main stay of the state economy. In this area, six agro processing factories have been built in six local government areas of the state under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The state government also constructed Orange Packaging Plant in Ushongo Town in Ushongo local government area. Had also purchased 50 tractors and sold to farmers at subsidised rates to promote mechanised farming.
One of the most unpleasant realities the administration faced in 2015 was the huge pension liabilities. These challenges piled with huge shortfalls from all revenue sources.
Fortunately, the state found an escape route in the Contributory Pension Scheme. The state assembly did not waste time to pass the State Pension Reform Law 2019. The governor explained that the state would raise funds to pay for some of the contributory pension costs and also pay the entitlements of workers exempted from the scheme when they retire. He noted that government would, through collaboration between the State Board of Internal Revenue Service and the State Pension Commission, repaid debts taken to defray pension liabilities to create a special fund to be invested in interest yielding instruments. Some revenue items from which the funds are to be raised would be dedicated to the Special Pension Fund.
The health sector
In the health sector, facilities have been upgraded at the Benue State Teaching Hospital with more than 42 primary healthcare centres built across the state.
During the unfortunate Covid-19 pandemic, the governor saw it as an opportunity to further review the health sector architecture. Following the upsurge, the state government approved the establishment of the Centre for Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases Management at the College of Health Sciences of the Benue State University Makurdi to serve as a research institute and also train health personnel to face the challenges.
This is beside the affiliation of the School of Nursing university for the award of degrees in Nursing. The government also procured and supplied ambulances and essential drugs to six general hospitals in Agatu, Gboko, Ohimini, Oju, Ushongo and Tarka local government areas.
Educational sector
During his campaign in 2015, Governor Ortom promised to convert the Alfred Akawe Tokula College of Advanced and Professional Studies (CAPS) Makurdi into a polytechnic to promote technology and vocational education. This promise has been fulfilled with many more in the educational sector. Also, over 700 primary schools blocks have been renovated or rebuilt across the state in the past seven years. Plans are being finalised to hire more teachers for the primary and secondary schools. This is consistent with the vision of the governor in making tertiary and secondary education strong and primary education stronger.
Security at a glance
It’s on record that Governor Ortom’s biggest challenge has been the threats to security in the state caused by the invasion and killings by armed herdsmen.
Considering the need for a secure society, Governor Ortom initiated the amnesty programme which was targeted at reducing crime wave growing at geometrical rate. Through the programme, sophisticated weapons in the hands of the criminals were recovered and destroyed.
The enactment of Anti-Opening Grazing Law was also another step to tackle insecurity occasioned by the herdsmen invasion.
It’s on record that from January 2018 till date, armed herdsmen have killed more than 2,000 people and sacked several communities. Right now, the state government is grappling with more than 1.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) located in Guma, Logo, Agatu, Makurdi and Kwande local government areas.
From 2015, apart from herdsmen invasion, Ortom has had to contend with upsurge violent crimes like armed robbery, kidnappings, cultism among youths as well as trafficking in persons.
The governor through the Consultative Forum in the state, called on all stakeholders in the Benue project to join hands to stop these dangerous crimes in the state.
His government has continued to render support to security agencies to eliminate kidnappings and other violent crimes in state. Traditional and community leaders have all been enjoined to make extra effort to ensure that no one is kidnapped in their domains.
The governor through the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs purchased more than 100 hundred vehicles for the traditional rulers and security outfits to aid in their movements towards tackling crimes.
As part of efforts to tackle crimes and strengthen internal security in the state, he constituted the Community Policing Advisory Committee.
In the last seven years, the Ortom administration has given financial support as well as donated equipments and gadgets to various security agencies in the state to ensure a crime-free society. All these are security strategies by the administration to stamp out crimes from communities in Benue.
Public sector enhancement
The Benue government has also created new institutions to strengthen public sector governance and the management of public finances by institutionalising greater fiscal responsibility, open and competitive public procurement, better management of debt and improved revenue administration. The government has also created a new ministry to drive progress in the areas of energy, science and technology.
The establishment of a state satellite televion station, which also fully provide online contents has helped in promoting Benue to the outside world.
It is the belief of the governor that before the end of his eight years in office, more projects would be completed.
