<<< By Nathaniel Ikyur >>>
Benue State Governor-elect, Dr Samuel Ortom has pledged that his administration will leave the state secured and free from poverty and disease at the end of his tenure.
The governor-elect stated this today when he paid a courtesy visit to the Country Director of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, JICA in Abuja.
Dr Ortom who was in the Abuja office of the International Development Agency to seek partnership with the agency and collaboration for the development in critical areas like water, sanitation, education, agriculture and infrastructure for Benue state said the incoming government in Benue state is ready to work closely with all development partners for the benefit of the state.
He told the Chief Representative of JICA, Nakamura Hirotaka that Benue state under his leadership would create the needed environment for the successful implementation of all projects earmarked for the state by the Japanese government by the international donor agency.
On security, the governor-elect assured the JICA Country representative that his government would stabilise security in the state with the development of a template of sustained peaceful coexistence between the herdsmen and farmers in the state, stressing that the the incessant conflict would soon be put to rest.
Speaking further on his plans to ensure peace in the state, Dr Ortom explained that his administration will encourage the establishment of ranches by owners of cattle since he said this is the practices worldwide to curb the incessant crises.
He re-emphasised that the establishment of ranches will reduce the movement of cattle from one destination to another.
In his welcome remarks, the Chief Representative of JICA in Nigeria, Nakamura Hirotaka told the Benue state Governor-elect that one of the primary objectives of JICA was poverty reduction.
Mr Hirotaka assured Dr Ortom that the agency is ready to partner with the Benue state government in its plans to develop the state in areas like infrastructure, energy and transport among others.