Reflections on Terver Akase’s Manifesto, Benue’ S WEALTH Template (II)
…continued from yesterday
By Nathaniel Nongu
In his vision on agriculture, Akase stated that his plan is to partner with the private sector to establish Integrated Model Farms, including Green Houses in the three senatorial districts of the State, with a view to increasing food production, collaborate with a competent private firm to establish an agriculture machinery manufacturing industry to produce affordable farm equipment to support mechanized and large-scale production for Benue farmers as well as partner the private sector to establish co-owned livestock ranches which will serve both as models for livestock farming, and livestock investment hubs so as to encourage our people to massively go into animal husbandry, particularly cattle rearing and other ruminants.
On lands, urban development and infrastructure, Mr Akase declared that the core development objectives of his administration will be to: utilize the computerization and optimization components of the geospatial business processes in the State through the Benue State Geographic Information Service (BENGIS), introduce the Benue State Infrastructure Development Plan, establish Benue State Road Maintenance Agency and declare zero potholes on Benue roads as well as rehabilitate township roads in Makurdi, Gboko, Otukpo and other towns; revitalize and equip the Ministry of Works offices in the nine Zonal Areas as well as revive the Benue Rural Development Agency, to enable it to address the needs of the people at the grassroots.
Akase pledged to deploy technology in various aspects of governance, support the establishment of the Faculty of Engineering at Benue State University, establish a Digital Innovation Hub in Makurdi as a one-stop-shop that will enable young Benue entrepreneurs to generate ideas, network with each other and access information on multinational ICT firms and capitalists, promising to enhance tax legitimacy, acceptance and ease of administration by demonstrating transparency and accountability, eliminating multiple and illegal taxation and offering tax exemption to certain categories of small business enterprises while also collaborating with the private sector to establish industries to attract capital inflow in order to boost the internally generated revenue, IGR profile of the State.
Believing that health is wealth, Akase pledged to place a premium on ensuring that Benue people have access to quality healthcare at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. He said the core development objectives of his administration will be to: introduce free treatment of pregnant women and children, as well as the elderly in primary health centres and general hospitals across the State, provide one fully functional Primary Health Centre in each of the Council Wards, facilitate the establishment of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Benue State University as well as strengthen the Benue State Health Insurance Scheme and enroll more beneficiaries, both from the formal and non-formal sectors.
A futuristic thinking Akase enunciated other essential areas of focus in his vision for Benue to include water supply, women empowerment and social development, youth and sports development as well as boosting the arts, culture and tourism subsector.
He declared his development objectives and strategic interventions in line with water supply to include: completing the reticulation of water within Makurdi from the Greater Makurdi Water Works, as well as reviving the water works in Katsina-Ala and Otukpo. Upgrading and repositioning the Benue State Water Board to enable it discharge its responsibility of supplying water to the urban centres of the State, pointing out that the Benue Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (BERWASSA) will also be revived to efficiently perform its duty of supplying water to rural areas of the State, while also pledging to empower the Directorate of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation to construct dams for irrigation and ensure the provision of water schemes to clustered and small settlements, since water is a basic need of life and the State is blessed with one of the largest rivers crisscrossing the nation.
~To be continued…
**Nongu is the Director, Media of the Terver Akase Governorship Campaign Organization
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