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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Governor of Benue State Hyacinth Alia, on Wednesday said President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms are beginning to deliver visible gains in the state, with improved federal allocations helping his administration fund roads, healthcare, agriculture and industrial revival on a scale he says was previously impossible.
Speaking at a meet-the-press briefing organised by the Presidential Media Team at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday, Alia said the reforms, though initially difficult, have strengthened Benue’s fiscal position and expanded the government’s capacity to meet long-standing development needs.
“The administration has consistently engaged us as critical stakeholders and partners in the implementation of its economic agenda,” he said. “One of the most visible outcomes of the reforms has been the significant increase in allocations to states from the Federation Account. Benue State, like other sub-nationals, has witnessed improved fiscal inflows, thereby enhancing the state’s capacity to resuscitate our economy, execute our developmental projects and meet critical obligations.”
The governor said the improved revenue has helped his administration restore salary and pension payments, a development he described as deeply symbolic for workers and retirees who had endured years of arrears.
“When I came in, paying salaries felt like heaven had come down to earth,” he said, recalling that some local governments owed staff up to seven years and the state itself owed pensions for several years.
Alia said the state declared a state of emergency on infrastructure at the start of his administration, with roads placed at the top of the priority list. He said the government has so far worked on 550 kilometres of roads and reconstructed more than 422 new ones, especially in suburban and rural communities.
“If you go to the metropolis now, every place is turning to a worksite,” he said.
He also said primary healthcare facilities across the state, many of which were barely functional when he took office, have been remodelled and upgraded, giving residents better access to treatment and attracting patients from outside the state. “Primary healthcare is working and we now have to make a break to come to the tertiary,” he said.
On the economy, Alia pointed to renewed efforts to revive moribund industries, including the Food Basket Breweries, Bensona juice and concentrate factory, and the Taraku mill, which he said is now at the stage of attracting new investors.
“We have freed those assets and we are just at the stage of signing with some big establishment to come take over,” he said.
The governor said agriculture remains central to Benue’s recovery strategy, noting that government support for farmers has included free fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides, subsidised tractors and expanded mechanisation.
“Everything you talk about for economic growth of the state must have agriculture,” he said. “We have sustained this and this is why there is a huge increase in produce in the state.”
Alia also said his administration is committed to transparency and prudent management of public funds, insisting that every additional resource will be deployed responsibly.
“Every additional resource accruing to the state will continue to be utilised very responsibly and transparently,” he said.
He urged Benue residents to remain patient and supportive as the reforms continue to deepen, saying the benefits will become more visible over time.
“I remain very optimistic that the benefits of the ongoing reforms will become more evident as economic stabilization progresses,” he said. “I call on Benue citizens to remain patient, resilient and supportive of ongoing efforts to build a stronger economy for all of them.”
The governor thanked the federal government for its support and said the state would continue to prioritise infrastructure, health, agriculture, education and industrial renewal.
