Benue State Government Declares State of Emergency on Infrastructure

By Bridget Ikyado

The Benue State Executive Council has as a matter of urgency, declared a state of emergency on infrastructure in the State.

This is contained in a statement by Sir Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Benue State.

The EXCO has also approved the demolition of all illegal structures, including those on waterways in the State.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the State Executive Council meeting held on Wednesday and presided over by the Deputy Governor, Dr Sam Ode, the Commissioner for Works and Housing, Mr Tiza Imojime, explained that the Council also frowned at the collapsed church building at the North Bank area in Makurdi, which claimed the life of a pastor.

He said the Council approved that all structures within the State that have failed the structural integrity test as well as those built on waterways should be demolished.

He said the decision is to ensure the protection of lives and property of the people of the state.

“The EXCO concluded that every building in the State that lacks structural and integrity test and those on waterways should be removed,” he said

The Commissioner further added that EXCO also directed the Ministry of Cooperatives, Rural and Urban Development, Works and Housing as well as that of Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals, to carry out an integrity test on the collapsed church building to ascertain the cause of the collapse to enable the government to make an informed decision.

According to the Commissioner, the EXCO also directed Benue youths to avail themselves to the Ministry of Youths, Sports and Creativity to be captured in its database for proper planning, adding that this will enable the government to get the exact database of youth in the State for effective planning and implementation of youth-related policies.

Continuing, the commissioner said, the Council also called on the Benue people to embrace agriculture as an enabling environment has already been created by the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia, adding that plans have already been concluded to address the immediate needs of the people to enable them to get the best in the sector.

On the general state of infrastructures in the State, the commissioner said, plans were underway to address the same.

“I have embarked on an assessment of road infrastructures in the State to have first-hand information on their status. Federal roads in the State have also been assessed and efforts are on to meet relevant federal agencies to intervene” he said.

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