Reflections on Terver Akase’s Manifesto, Benue’ S WEALTH Template (III)
¶…continued from yesterday
By Nathaniel Nongu
Concerning women empowerment and social development, Akase declared his development objectives and strategic interventions will be to: establish the Benue Women Investment Fund (BWIF), aimed at empowering at least 75% of the Benue women population to own economic ventures; establish an agency for People Living with Disabilities (PLWDs), to address their special needs and those of other vulnerable persons by offering them support in various ways and creating opportunities for them as well as initiate a social service programme to cater for the welfare of the elderly in terms of health, nutrition and living conditions.
Affirming that youth empowerment is central to his vision, Akase pledged to focus on developing the youth and sports sub-sector to create opportunities for young Benue sons and daughters to maximize their talents, stating his core development objectives will be to: review the Benue Youth and Sports Edict No.11 of 1976 to address contemporary sporting needs of Benue people; establish the Benue Youth Development Commission to cater for the needs of young people; embark on strategic investment in the Benue Entertainment Industry to aid global exportation of our talented youth in music, local arts and movies expressing hope that it will contribute to the internal revenue growth of the State.
Akase declared he will organize annual talent hunt shows and sponsor ‘Made in Benue’ movies, and arts exhibitions, initiate value orientation and mentorship programmes for Benue youths, beginning with the family, the school system, traditional and religious institutions and civil society as partners as well as reactivate sporting activities in primary, secondary and tertiary schools in the State, improve funding of sporting activities in the State and enable the sports associations to perform better and ensure that the Governor’s Cup becomes a yearly and regular competition among the 23 local government areas of the State.
Identifying the arts, culture and tourism sub-sector as an essential part of Benue’s development, as it gives the State a unique identity, Akase declared he will give priority to the arts, culture and tourism sub-sector as a way of sustaining the rich heritage of the State and to also serve as a key revenue generation source for the State. He stated the core development objectives in this regard will be to: initiate the Benue State Policy on Arts, Culture and Tourism; promote the establishment of Benue cultural industries in pottery, weaving, carving, textiles, film, theatres, home video, paintings and graphics; establish a Benue Cultural Development Centre (BCDC) for the promotion and commercialization of the State’s cultural products to the world noting that the tourism industry of the State will be standardized, modernized, and developed to attract foreign investment.
He further declared his vision to develop the riverside beaches in Benue to turn them to tourists and recreational hubs with the hope that it will also serve as a means of revenue generation for the State; establish tourist villages in selected rural communities with the potential to open such rural areas to rapid development as well as transform strategic parts of the Makurdi riverbanks into shopping malls, parks, gardens, modern restaurants, and art galleries with walkways and fountains, maintaining that this will be achieved in partnership with the organized private sector.
While reaffirming that his bid to govern Benue State will be achieved through issue-based and constructive engagement with the people, Akase pledged to prioritize people-oriented policies and programmes in his governance approach, where both the young and the elderly will have a say, emphasizing that he would place a premium on balancing the vast experience of the elders with the evolving knowledge of the youth to drive the realization of his vision for Benue, which he stressed other states of this federation may be the gateway to Nigeria but Benue is the destination.
In the words of the frontline Benue guber hopeful: “I cannot end without once again thanking our teeming supporters across the State, who have kept faith with us on this journey since its commencement. The future looks promising and I implore you all to sustain your support. Ours is a collective project as rightly tagged ‘Benue Peoples Project 2023’. This project is for all Benue people and friends of Benue, irrespective of tribe, place of origin, political affiliation or religion”, emphasizing that “we remain hopeful and firm in faith that if it is the Lord’s will, the good people of Benue State will offer me the mandate to serve them come 2023.”
As rightly pointed out by Akase, the future belongs to those who are ready to brave our current challenges and proffer solutions. The task of contributing to the development of Benue is a collective one. We therefore call on Benue people and friends of Benue to key into the aspiration of Terver Akase who has pledged to be the Governor for all, no matter where you come from; no matter which language you speak, which religion you belong to, or which political party you support; for together, we can, God helping us.
~Concluded~
**Nong is the Director, Media of the Terver Akase Governorship Campaign Organization
NB: For details, log into: www.terverakase.com
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Reach us via: benuepeoplesproject2023@gmail.com for suggestions and investigations
