Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has queried General Manager of Urban Development Board for illegally renaming some streets in Makurdi.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Terver Akase, yesterday, quoted Ortom as directing the board to immediately stop the renaming and dismantle name plates mounted on affected streets. The governor particularly ordered the reversal of the renaming of Ahmadu Bello Way after him.
Ortom directed the Board to explain within 24 hours why it renamed streets without approval.
The street renaming had been met with negative reaction as it did not go down well with the people.
The streets renamed include Ahmadu Bello Way to Samuel Ortom Road; Gboko Ring Road to Tony Ijohor Road; Gyado Hospital Road to James Ortese Ayatse Road; Mkar Road to Iyorchia Ayu Road; St. John Road which leads to Tor Tiv Palace renamed Makir Dzakpe Way, among others.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said it has distributed fertilizers to 23,000 persons affected by flood and farmers-herders clashes in Benue State. Flagging off the distribution in Makurdi, yesterday, NEMA’s Team Leader to Benue, Dr. Martins Ejike, said the 23,000 persons were beneficiaries of the emergency agricultural intervention programme designed by NEMA.
Ejike said there were 226 trucks loaded with fertilizers for distribution to target beneficiaries. He said the team had been in Benue in the past six months, and had distributed other farm implements like knapsack sprayers, seedlings, grains to beneficiaries.
Ejike assured that fertilizers and other farming tools meant for Benue would not be diverted and warned against the sale of the items for commercial gains by beneficiaries.
“I urge beneficiaries to be orderly and not misuse or sell items given to them by NEMA,” he added.
Governor Ortom, represented at the event by the Special Adviser on Agro-Business, Mrs. Joy Tarka lauded the Federal Government for the agriculture emergence support relief programme.
He, however, appealed to the Federal Government to assist in re-settling farmers displaced from their ancestral homes due to flood and attacks by herders. He said getting displaced persons return to the original homes would enable them return to farming.
“Benue is regarded as the food basket of the nation and has always fed Nigeria, but challenges of flood and attack by herdsmen has brought the state down; with the gesture by Federal Government, it is believed that food production will again improve,” said Ortom.