Erstwhile Chairman, Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Dr Andrew Ayabam, has said that there is no amount of grandstanding and attempts to divert the attention of the Benue people from the development efforts of Fr. Hyacinth Alia, Executive Governor of Benue State.
On Friday, August 29, Rep Dickson Tarkighir, Makurdi/Guma (APC), shared a post on his verified Meta account, which suggested that Fr. Alia is responsible for poverty, unemployment, and underdevelopment in Benue State.
Rep Tarkighir has been criticised for the comment.
In reaction, Dr. Ayabam, a political economist, said Benue State “under Rev Fr Alia is on a better path to development than any other time since 42 years.”
According to Dr. Ayabam, under Fr. Alia, “The people are able to pay their bills from their legitimate wages, which are timely, are able to move around on better roads, and are less worried about the floods.
“The hospital facilities are being upgraded and staffed. The medical doctors’ bond scheme has been reintroduced to ensure the availability of qualified doctors in our hospitals.
Schools are being upgraded, and about 10,000 workers have been added to boost the quality of basic education.
“Orange juice factory is being restarted to provide employment, enhance the earning potentials of our citrus farmers, saving them from the bad people who take advantage of them.
“A new university has been established. More courses have been approved for the existing university, including a new engineering faculty at Adikpo.
“The Otobi water works have been fixed, and towns like Otukpo are seeing public water for the first time in almost two decades. We have Zeva and are at liberty to get high on our own brand again, at home!”
He concluded that “Sharing money has never been an indication or a parameter to measure development, nor is the massaging of egos of some people.”
