Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Sunday gave reasons he had not been commissioning the projects executed by his administration in the last six years.
He explained that the funds earmarked for the commissioning of such projects could be used to execute more development projects in parts of the state, hence his decision to ignore the idea.
The Governor who made this known shortly after inspecting ongoing construction work at the Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Naka, Gwer West Local Government Area, LGA, of the state said if it were the general consensus that it should be done, he would have no choice but to commence the commissioning of projects in the state.
He said: “for me it is not about commissioning of projects because I noticed that each time I want to commission a project, protocol will come with a list of several expenditure, you pay for this and that.
“So I believe that what I will spend in commissioning projects will help me add another development project to the society; that is my take.
“The commissioning of projects should be the siting of those projects and completing them. That is my belief about projects.
“But since people believe in the commissioning of projects, maybe I would have to change my mind about that and start to commission my several projects spread across the state so that they will be appreciated.
“I must say that I am always very surprised when the opposition claim that we have not done projects. We can all see the roads, schools, health facilities, name them in every sectors and all over the state.
“Even in the area of security you can see what we have been able to do. You can see where we were from 2015 and where we are today.
“We have done so well, we are gradually fishing out the deadly criminals operating in the state so that development can come. And I can assure you that in the next few weeks if you ask a criminal to come to Benue whether armed herders or anyone, they would decline.”
Moreso, Gov Samuel Ortom has commended the Federal Government for the release of N18 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria in support of state governments.
Ortom made the commendation on Friday during an interaction with Journalists at the Benue Peoples Government House, Makurdi.
The governor, who clarified that the money was not a grant but a loan, said it would assist most states in tackling some fundamental challenges of development.
Ortom said the Benue Executive Council (EXCO) would soon meet to prioritise the utilisation of the funds.
He disclosed that for a state that had been running a deficit budget, the money would support in critical areas like payment of salary arrears and to tackle infrastructure deficit.
”We will ensure that the utilisation of the money has a direct impact on the lives of our people,” he assured.
Ortom regretted the recent killing of a priest and others at Tor Donga village in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of the state and assured that those behind the act would be apprehended.
He said his administration would continue to collaborate with security agencies in the state to protect lives and property of all citizens.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has concluded plans to release the results of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation…
Cardiologists and public health physicians have warned Nigerians against excessive consumption of cold water, stressing that it can lead to…
The Chang’e 6, China’s next robotic spacecraft to the moon, has been scheduled to set out on its journey in…
Gbenga Oloniniran writes about the discrimination experienced by some Nigerians on the premises of foreign businesses where they are met…
It's scientifically ambitious. It's aeronautically daring. And it's unflinchingly expensive. It's NASA's newly approved mission to Saturn's moon, Titan, where…
Since the coup d’état on May 24, 2021, a transition government has been in charge of Mali and shows no…