By JOHN ONAH, Abuja –
A leading governorship aspirant under the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Benue State come 2023, Hon Richard Tersoo Mnenga (RTM) has vowed to make road construction and rehabilitation his cardinal priority if voted into power.
The aspirant in an interview with newsman recently in Abuja, said his interest in the construction of roads is to boost Agriculture and turn the state to a real food basket of Nigeria.
According to him, areas like Shankar’s axis of the state that is presently making headway in agriculture was due to many roads been constructed by the former Governor Gabriel Suswam in the area.
He noted that, Agriculture cannot be well promoted without good roads, while insisting that farm produce needs to be transported from rural to Urban areas.
“I will reconstruct and rehabilitate all the road leading to rural areas for easy accessibility because agricultural produce have to be carried from rural to urban areas. Road construction is one of my top vision to make Benue a real agricultural state. Any serious government should have that as a cardinal policy”, he added.
Hon. Mnenga, who is also a member, Governing Council of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, said as an agricultural state, famous for the production of food, there is the need to focus on irrigation farming which does not only increase yields but also encourage dry season farming.
He disclosed that if elected, he will construct dams across the states as well as provide other irrigation implements to farmers to boost food production, after which the state government will serve as off takers to prevent wastage.
“Farming activities can be carried out all through the year and it’s very simple to do because Benue people are proud farmers. Instead of our youths to be engaging in political thuggery, waiting for politicians to give them money, we will keep them busy with mechanised farming because the major priority in Benue is to give a new dimension to Agriculture”.
“See the way yams are cultivated in Benue state and if we decided to build Yam flour mills now, it would solve unemployment and enrich the farmers and same thing goes to orange, pineapple and mango, and I will give attention to these areas that have not enjoy attention by previous administration”, he said.
Hon Mnenga believed he has what it takes to turn around the food basket of Nigeria and what is needed is for him is to do things differently and urged the media to help tell his story.
“I want you journalists to convey my message to the Benue people and tell them that am favoured to take over the mantle of leadership in the state.
On how to change the fortune of the state through revenue generation, the gubernatorial hopeful said he has identified too many revenue leakages and as such would eliminate the practice of the past by mounting trusted and prudent allies as heads.
He promised to provide functional educational system for the people of Benue as according to him, he is blessed with human resources to change stories of public schools in Benue state.
Hon. Richard Tersoo Mnenga said there is the urgent need to improve on basic education and his position as a council member has availed him that singular opportunity to reposition the sector in the state if he is voted the next governor of the state.
He said, “As member representing the North-Central zone, will use my experience in UBEC to upgrade the level of primary education in the state.
“We have travel to many countries, to do a comparative analysis on their basic education and that of ours so as to know how to improve,and there were some basic innovations we have brought to basic education to Nigeria.
” If you must properly train a child, you must start from the basic education and my experience in UBEC, I will do that very well, but my manifesto will inform you better” he explained.
Speaking on the issue of security which has become the bane of development in Nigeria, Hon. Mnenga said there is need for diplomacy and dialogue with Northern elders to find a lasting solution to farmer-herder clashes which has rendered some indigenes homeless from their ancestral lands.
“If I become a Governor, I will dialogue the issue with the relevant stakeholders, especially Northern leaders because I have a good relationship with them so that we can bring it to an end. Insecurity is a global issue, President Buhari home town is not left out and Zamfara is even worst, all these are Fulani State,” he said.
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