From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

As the pendulum swings towards 2023, governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Benue State, Terver Akase has said that, if elected, his administration will utilize the abundant opportunities in Information and Communications Technology, ICT to create jobs for the youths.

Akase who stated this at the weekend when he featured on Radio Benue live interactive programme ‘Area Matter’ explained that ICT remains one of the greatest tools for employment and wealth creation.

The immediate past Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom further noted that youths of Benue State are among the most active people on social media who would gladly embrace the opportunities on the internet to earn a living and be employers.

He commended the Governor for initiating a bill which was sent to the State House of Assembly for the establishment of Benue Information Technology Development Agency, BITDA, to warehouse and drive the state’s policy formulation and implementation in the ICT sector.

Akase also lauded the Governor for setting up the Benue State Information and Communications Technology Council earlier this year to serve as an advisory body for the development and use of ICT in the state.

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The PDP guber hopeful assured that he would build on the Governor’s initiatives in the sector to make youths of the state self-reliant.

On agriculture, Akase said he would collaborate with relevant stakeholders and development partners to encourage young entrepreneurs in the state to take advantage of the agric value chain from cultivation through production, collection, processing, packaging to marketing.

He promised to sustain the current incentives given to farmers, such as subsidies on fertilizer and farm machinery, to enable them improve on their productivity.

On security, he condemned the sustained attacks on Benue people by Fulani herdsmen; a situation he said has led to the loss of many lives and adversely affected food production in parts of the state.

He promised to uphold the full enforcement of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law enacted by the Ortom administration.

The erstwhile spokesman for the Governor commended Benue youths for always showing maturity in times of crisis, even as he urged them to remain law abiding and support government to provide security for lives and property.