From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom reiterated on Monday his call for a “National Dialogue”, describing it as the only panacea for resolving the various agitations across the country.
Governor Ortom made the call at the Government House in Makurdi when he played host to participants of the Senior Executive Programme of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru.
He stressed the need to further amend the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) to make it a more democratic document, opining that combining that with a national dialogue, the country would be saved from further crises.
Governor Ortom said that Benue as the “Food Basket of Nation” would continue to advocate the unity and indivisibility of Nigeria, maintaining that the challenges confronting the country are surmountable if all hands are on deck. He noted that the government and people of Benue State would continue to remain committed to justice, equity and fairness to all. The Governor described as laudable, the programmes of NIPSS, saying Benue indigenes had also graduated from the institute and made various contributions to national development.
Governor Ortom said the theme for this year’s NIPSS Senior Executive Programme – ‘getting things done: strategies for policy and programme implementation’ was very apt.
On his part, leader of the delegation, Prof Fatai Aremu said they were in the state for a study tour as the institute had selected Benue among states to be visited by the Senior Executive Programme as a result of the achievements recorded by the present administration in the state.
Aremu commended Governor Ortom for the warm reception accorded the participants since arrival in the state.even as a member of the Study Group Six, Mrs Mary Uduk, said at the end of the tour, they would be better informed about activities and programmes as well as successes and challenges of the Ortom administration.