By Bridget Ikyado
The Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC in Benue State, Rev Fr Dr Hyacinth Iormem Alia has rolled out the party’s policy document tagged “Strategic Development Plan for a Greater Benue” built upon Seven (7) pillars.
Fr Alia made this known during the official unveiling of his Policy Document in Makurdi the Benue State.
He listed the Seven pillars to include: Security of Lives; Property and Agriculture and Rural Development.
” The third pillar is Commerce and Industry,as well as Human Capital and Social Development,”he said.
He further mentioned infrastructure and Environment as fifth while Information & Communications Technology (ICT) came sixth with Political and Economic Governance last.
According to Fr Alia all of which are captured under the acronym – S.A.C.H.I.I.P.,with biase on Security of lives and Property.
Fr. Alia also promised to establish Permanent Integrated Forward Operation Bases for security men at all the flash points where there have been cases of armed attacks and displacement of people.
He promised to strengthen the implementation of the Anti-Open Grazing Law for enhanced security and economic growth and development of Benue State.
He disclosed his plan to evolve a policy for the rehabilitation and resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The APC governorship candidate who described Benue state as an agrarian society, with capacity for food security and self sufficiency.
He promised to empower ministries, departments and agencies to propel an independent development in addition to timely supply of subsidized farm inputs, especially fertilizer and quality seeds, to farmers.
Fr. Alia who also revealed his intention to partner with the Federal Government to commence the dredging of the River Benue to facilitate commercial activities, promising to encourage public-private partnership (PPP) in reviving some of the moribund industries in the state and also establish new ones for massive industrialization.
The APC Governorship Candidate is confident that owing to the current depreciation of the necessary infrastructure at all government ministries, and departments.
He said that he will upgrade them and empower Staff Developmnt Center (SDC) for effective service delivery which he said, shall be maintained with the introduction of smart attendance.
The APC candidate also said he would establishment a management register to enhance supervision of the Staff in the State, even as he promised prompt payment of salaries and other entitlements to civil servants and retirees.
Fr. Alia called on the public to follow www.alia2023.org to access his Policy Document, read it and critique it with a view to offering positive inputs for the growth and development of the state.
In reaction, the Director-General, Alia/Ode Campaign Organisation, Rev. Frederick Ikyaan, stressed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was confident of winning Benue governorship election with the emergence of its candidate Rev FR Alia and the unveiling of his strategic policy.
He said the party’s policy document was apt and in correspondence to the yearnings and aspirations of the Benue people’s long deprived rights and privilege.
According to him, Alia has the competence and ability to provide solutions to the myriad of problems in the state.
He added that the party had addressed the factors that made it to lose the 2019 governorship election.
Ikyaan said that Alia would ensure a balance between spiritual and physical uplift of the people, when elected in 2023.
“We look forward to our opportunity to further prioritise the wellbeing and welfare of the people,” the DG added.
Ikyaan said Alia’s aspiration to be governor was not driven by personal interest or agenda but the physically and spiritual improvement of Benue people, irrespective of creed or tribe.
He assured the people that the party was well prepared for the electioneering campaigns and very confident of victory.