From Joseph Uchenna, in Makurdi
The Benue State Governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia has said that his administration is determined to fast track development in all facets of the State.
The Governor who said this through his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, on Wednesday revealed that no fewer than 390 kilometres of rural and urban roads are currently under construction across the state by the Alia administration.
He further disclosed that not less than 25 road projects embarked upon by the governor within Makurdi metropolis, have so far been completed and now used by people of the state.
Kula stated this while speaking with correspondents shortly after embarking on tour of some projects being executed by Alia’s administration within Makurdi, the State capital.
He explained that the facility tour was meant to enable them assess the quality and impact of the governor’s development initiatives, particularly on infrastructure.
According to him, the ongoing developmental projects in parts of the state are testament of the governor’s quest to provide purposeful leadership and his prudent management of resources.
He noted that because of the governor’s culture of prudent management of resources, he had been able to initiate so many projects, including renovations of public schools and provision of portable water across the three senatorial districts of the State.
The CPS said that there is no local government in the State that has not been earmarked for roads development, adding that, apart from renovations of public schools and provision of portable water, there are other tangible facilities be provided by the governor.
“In addition to the road construction and underpass, you can see that the Benue Food Basket Brewery is almost 90% completion, the Benfruit and Benval Juice Factories have been revived and about to commence production.
“The governor is getting resources from the federation account and also getting donations from here and there. Those funds are being manage very well. He is determined to develop the State and he has blocked the revenue leakage from our Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. He has increased it to certain percentage.
“The 16 township roads within Makurdi that were flagged off for construction by the governor in his first year, have been completed. The governor has also flagged off construction of additional 25 roads within the metropolitan, some of them, had been completed already”, Kula said.
Some of the projects inspected include; the Benue Food Basket Brewery located at Gboko road, the dualization of the Ishaya Bakut road project and the underpass at high-level, the Benfruit and Benval Juice Factories located at the Industrial Layout Makurdi.
At the Benue Food Basket Brewery, the plant manager, Engr. Emmanuel Adobe conducted the Journalists round the premises, explained that all the necessary equipment for the take of the factory have arrived and were been installed.
According to him, the whole installations will take about 3 months, maintaining that they have spent 3 weeks.
“Every equipment is on site. Once we commence production, we can produce 2000 to 2500 crated per day if we are producing 60cl.
“Overall beers capacity in Nigeria is over 250 million per year. The BFB factory is well positioned for beer markets in Nigeria. There is no beer factory in Taraba, Nasarawa, Abuja and so, it will grow the market if it is well managed”.
