The governor of Benue State, Rev. Father Hyacinth Alia, has been tasked by a group called Young Idoma Professionals (YIP) with ensuring that contracts for the 500km of well-publicized roads that are expected to be built in the state soon are awarded in a fair and just manner.
According to the group’s appeal, the state’s Zone C senatorial district ought to contain a minimum of 40% of the required roads.
This was stated in a statement that was made available to journalists in Kaduna over the weekend and co-signed by the organization’s conveners, Okpani Jacob Onjewu Dickson, Okpani Mike Odeh Akatu, and member Okpani Dickson Elaigwu.
The group was responding to reports that the European Investment Bank had granted the Benue State Government €25 million to build 500 kilometers of new roads throughout the state.
Benue Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) State Coordinator Stephen Numbeve revealed this on Thursday in Makurdi.
“Every administrative process has been finished, and the agency will start working as soon as the fund is disbursed,” stated Numbeve.
300 km of road design have been finished, according to the RAAMP coordinator, and the remaining 200 km are still under construction.
Thus, the Young Professionals assigned the Benue State Government the duty of guaranteeing the fair allocation of road projects throughout the state.
The statement said, “We have been watching closely with dismay that Zone C has been relegated in the state’s scheme of things, which shouldn’t be so.”
“Therefore, we require that at least 40% of the roads built with the anticipated loan be located in Zone C.”While the list of designated roads is still pending, we are alerting everyone to the fact that any attempt to shortchange Zone C will be met with resistance using all legal means at our disposal.