Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has assured of renewed commitment to the people and his desire to develop the state as he celebrates 60 years.
Speaking during on Thursday during a symposium organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) held at the Fr. Alia Ultra-Modern Conference Hall, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) headquarters, Makurdi, to commemorate his 60th birthday anniversary, the governor calliled on journalists to sustain constructive criticism rooted in facts and public interest.
Governor Alia, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Sam Ode, lauded journalists for organising the event in his honour and described the media as “the compendium of public opinion.”
The role of journalists in the sustenance of democracy, the Governor noted could not be overemphasized but appealed to practitioners to embrace constructive criticism rather than destructive narratives.
Alia who insisted that criticisms must be anchored on facts and aimed at strengthening governance and society commended Benue people for their resilience and endurance amid insecurity and economic hardship but assured that there was hope ahead for the state.
The governor informed that “at 60, I am more convinced that the greatest asset of Benue State is the people” and assured that his administration would continue to prioritise the welfare of citizens despite prevailing challenges.
He told the people that governance requires patience and sacrifice, revealing however that he was not perfect but would remain committed to improving service delivery across the state.
In his personal capacity as Deputy Governor, Dr. Sam Ode described Governor Alia as a prudent and transparent leader who has remained judicious in all his expenditures.
Chairman of the NUJ Benue State Council, Comrade Bemdoo Ugber, earlier in his welcome remarks said the symposium was organised not merely to celebrate Governor Alia’s age but to evaluate his leadership and achievements in office.
Comrade Ugber said the union had objectively observed the administration and concluded that the level of development recorded under his leadership in the last three years surpassed what many administrations collectively achieved over several years.
He appealed to the governor to intervene in the renovation of the NUJ Secretariat, which he said had promised even as it was deteriorating further with the onset of the rainy season and appealed for assistance in offsetting over N15 million indebtedness owed by the council, including dues and salaries of secretariat staff and reminded the Governor to restore the NUJ Benue State Council on the government protocol list.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG)and Chairman of the occasion, Deaconess Deborah Aber while declaring the event open extolled the virtues of Governor Alia and described him as a leader whose life continues to inspire hope and confidence among the people and prayed God to grant the governor good health and wisdom to continue serving humanity.
Technical Adviser to the Governor on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communication, Chief Solomon Iorpev, while presenting an abridged profile of Governor Alia, traced his journey from the Catholic priesthood to politics.
Before venturing into politics, Iorpev noted that Alia had garnered international experience in educational management and healthcare administration.
