<<< By Tahav Agerzua >>>
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, yesterday urged all adult indigenes of the state to own at least one kind of farm.
He made the appeal during his investiture as the Grand Patron of the Sunday school of the Universal Reformed Christian Church, URCC, abbreviated as NKST in Tiv.
The Governor noted that the dwindling fortunes of the oil sector should be the rise of agriculture and urged the people of the state to exploit the advantage they have by each of them owning a farm to produce cash crops and other food items.
According to him provision has been made in the 2016 state budget to support activities of the church particularly in the education, health and agriculture sectors and called on faith based organizations to seize the opportunity by intensifying efforts in the sectors.
He commended the church for molding the character of youths through the Sunday school and urged young people to serve God so that He could help them to grow up and become responsible citizens.
The Governor appealed to the church to set up permanent convention sites equipped with facilities to take care of members during meetings rather than the present situation where such meetings are being rotated from one place to another without the necessary amenities.
He promised to provide support in that direction even as he enjoined church leaders to make decent transportation arrangements for those attending conventions pointing out that the use of trucks and other vehicles not made to transport humans has been banned in the state and that anyone who flouted the ban would be arrested and prosecuted.
Governor Ortom regretted that such vehicles which are usually overloaded have been involved in accidents that have led to loss of lives and injuries over the years adding that one worshipper died and several others sustained serious injuries while coming for the current meeting in a truck.
Senators George Akume and Barnabas Gemade both commended the NKST church for its contributions to the development of the state and pledged to support its activities.
Member of the House of Representatives for Katsina-Ala/Ukum/Logo Federal Constituency, Mr. Emmanuel Udende, presented copies of volume four of the Sunday school hymnal which was launched at the occasion.