Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment and Benue State governorship aspirant on PDP platform, Chief Dr Samuel Ortom, has pledged to harness the potentials of the movie industry to generate employment and wealth if given the mandate.
He spoke when Benue Artistes For Ortom led by its President, Bat Nyikwagh, paid a courtesy call on him in Makurdi.
The pledge came on the heels of assurances of support for Chief Dr Ortom’s aspiration from various women and youth groups across Benue State.
These included the Kucha Utebe Mothers led by Mrs. Phoebe Amenger, Women of Faith Association, Nyiman, led by Mrs Josephine Ajiva, as well as Ego-Achanya Ai-ona Ortom Support Group, Ogbadibo, Prosperous Union for Ortom, and Judges Quarters Support Group led by Mrs. Rose Elaochi, John Prosper, and Simon Shighe respectively.
“The movie industry is already doing much for other states and the country in general, if given the mandate I’ll harness its potentials for massive youth employment and wealth generation,” he stated.
“With Benue’s rich and fascinating cultural endowments the raw materials for movies is already waiting to be exploited, ” Chief Dr Ortom stated adding that as governor his administration would provide the enabling environment for the industry to thrive.
Earlier, Mr Nyikwagh who presented copies of films and audio tapes on some aspects of Chief Dr Ortom’s life and philanthropy to him stated that the group had produced the materials as a practical demonstration of support for his aspiration.
He said the artistes had monitored the aspirant since his days as council chairman in the nineties and arrived at a conclusion from his antecedents that he was the right man to restore Benue’s lost glory if elected Governor hence their resolve to campaign for him.
Mrs. Ajiva of the Kucha Utebe Mothers listed what she described as Chief Dr Ortom’s inspiring life story, employment of hundreds, capacity to overcome the challenges of life, God-fearing, transparent, and honest character as reason for their support.
“Today the Scriptures have been fulfilled in our lives as recorded in Jeremiah 30: 21 ‘their leader will be one of their own, their ruler will arise from among them,’ indeed you are our own, ” she stated.
The women from Ogbadibo said they were aware of Chief Dr Ortom’s contributions to the development of the state through support for widows, youths, women, children, as well as the less privileged over the years and expressed gratitude to God that He chose him to lead the state in 2015.