<<< By Tahav Agerzua >>>
The Benue State Government would review the existing Vigilante Group and Revenue Laws of the state, Governor Samuel Ortom has disclosed.
He spoke at a meeting between Catholic Bishops and traditional rulers in Tivland.
According to the Governor, the Vigilante Group law would be amended to give traditional rulers more specific roles in security issues in their domains while the Revenue Law would be reviewed to make taxes more people friendly.
He was represented at the occasion which was held at the Pastoral Centre in Makurdi by the Chief of Staff, Mr Terwase Orbunde, who led a seven member delegation of members of the state executive council.
They included the Attorney-General and Justice Commissioner, Michael Gusa, Education, Science and Technology Commissioner, Professor Dennis Ityavyar, and Commissioner of Works, Transport and Energy, Emmanuel Manger, as well as special advisers, Dr Adzer Abya, Titus Zam, and Tahav Agerzua.
Governor Ortom gave an account of his stewardship and also explained the loan profile of the state and its application in various sectors.
The meeting was tagged Conversation with all traditional rulers in Tivland with the theme traditional leadership in contemporary Tivland.
Land security, thuggery, traditional institutions, marriage and Tiv values formed the agenda of the meeting.
Bishop of Gboko Diocese, William Avenya, stated that the forum was initiated by Bishop Athanasius Usuh during Governor Gabriel Suswam’s tenure and approved by the late Tor Tiv, Dr Alfred Torkula, to deliberate on the welfare of Tiv people.
He listed hospitality, justice, industry, defence of self and territory, decency, beauty, neatness, openness and acceptance of others, insatiable hunger for continuity, capacity for concensus, noticeable culture and oneness of language as well as appointment of leadership as attributes of the Tiv that were fast being eroded.
Bishop Avenya advocated the development of strategies that will enable the Tiv to restore the positive values and build a better tomorrow.