— Defends Tinubu’s reforms, says Benue has become Nigeria’s medical tourism hub
— Backs state police, pledges prudent use of ‘every kobo accruing’ to improve security, agriculture
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA — Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia said on Wednesday that implementation of local government autonomy in the state is sacrosanct and has reduced his burden.
He urged other governors to ensure council autonomy, noting its significant benefits.
Speaking during an interactive session with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Alia praised President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, saying they strengthened the state’s finances, improved security, revived infrastructure and agriculture, and transformed Benue into an emerging medical tourism hub.
He said the increased fiscal space created by the reforms enabled his administration to invest heavily in roads, healthcare, education, agriculture and security while meeting inherited financial obligations.
On local government autonomy, Alia dismissed claims that local government and judicial autonomy were being undermined in the state, insisting Benue remains fully compliant with constitutional provisions.
“Our local government autonomy is sacrosanct. The judiciary also enjoys full autonomy. These are verifiable facts,” he said.
He explained that local government councils now independently execute development projects while the state government focuses on supervision and accountability.
He added that councils have declared emergencies on road infrastructure and converted many areas into active work sites.
Alia said autonomy had eased his responsibilities: his role has become primarily supervisory, receiving reports and cross-checking implementation. “It has freed my mind on a lot of things. I have less headaches,” he said, urging other states to adopt the approach.
The governor assured Benue people that additional resources accruing to the state would be managed prudently and transparently.
He said prudent resource management restored confidence in government, with salaries and pensions now paid regularly after years of arrears inherited by his administration.
When he assumed office, workers and pensioners were owed several months’ salaries and pensions, and some local government workers had outstanding entitlements dating back as much as seven years.
“The combination of improved federal allocations and stronger internally generated revenue enabled the state to clear much of the backlog while sustaining prompt payments.”
Alia said his administration had rehabilitated more than 550 kilometres of roads and constructed over 420 kilometres of new roads. Schools and other public facilities were also being rebuilt across the 23 local government areas.
On healthcare, he said the rehabilitation and upgrading of primary and secondary facilities had improved service delivery, attracting patients from neighbouring states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“We have become a medical tourism power. If our state were not safe, people would not be coming,” he said.
The governor attributed improved security to a strengthened security architecture—Benue Civil Protection Guards, the Joint Task Force “Anyam Nyor,” community vigilantes and technology-driven intelligence gathering.
He said these measures allowed him to monitor frontline areas remotely and helped thousands of internally displaced persons return to their communities and resume farming.
Rather than rely indefinitely on humanitarian assistance, the state established cooperative farms for displaced women, supplied tractors, seedlings and inputs, and allowed beneficiaries to keep the harvest.
Security personnel initially escorted farmers to their fields until confidence returned. The state also allocated farmland to security agencies in vulnerable communities to maintain a permanent presence.
On agriculture, Alia said Benue subsidised fertiliser for three years, paying half the cost while farmers paid the balance. “The Federal Government supplied more than 600 truckloads of fertiliser to the state, in addition to over 6,000 metric tonnes secured through partnerships.
“The administration is accelerating mechanisation through tractors, cooperatives and Young Farmers Clubs, providing free land preparation, seedlings and production support, ” he added.
He said the state had cleared over N1 billion in salary arrears and resolved litigations that stalled the revival of Taraku Mills, enabling new investors to take over and generate jobs.
Alia reiterated support for state police, arguing community-based policing would improve intelligence because recruits from local communities understand the terrain and can identify criminal elements more effectively.
While acknowledging concerns about abuse, he said effective legislation, oversight and accountability would address such fears.
He maintained that Tinubu’s reforms gave states the financial capacity to execute development projects. “If the reforms were not working, I would be the first person to say so,” he said, urging journalists to verify the administration’s claims by visiting Benue.
Alia said Benue was on a clear path of growth and development and expressed confidence that the gains under his administration would deepen.
“The reforms initiated by President Tinubu have altered the development trajectory of Benue. We are among the biggest beneficiaries because they have created opportunities for greater investment in infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, security and human capital development.”
