Samuel Ortom: Delivering The Peoples Mandate Through SDGs By Ati Terkula

In Africa and all over the world it is agreed that one of the reasons for the failure to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was apart from lack of orientation, was the insincerity of leaders to pursue the goals to fruition. In Africa and especially Nigeria, the major hindrance was allocation of financial resources into projects aimed at achievement of these only seven goals. Thus the introduction of 17 new goals accommodating the previous goals called Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This was very typical of the Benue state scenario where even other development partners had taken leave of the state and even termed it a “grave yard” for development work”, as all counterpart funds brought into her were diverted to private pockets or other trivial uses.

Up until 2016 when the Benue State Governor after meeting prerequisite criteria for accessing the Federal Government grant even as he was the first to do so nationwide, for the execution of the 2015 MDGs State track many believed it was business as usual. It was expected that traditions will be maintained and “stakeholders” will be called to decide what percentage of the grant will be doled out to them or committed to certain phoney contracts; ones to be awarded to cronies as reward for loyalty without recourse to professionalism and delivery of such jobs.

However Gov. Samuel Ortom had on inception of his administration made it clear that he was determined to do away with all under hand practices and dedicate himself to fulfilling his campaign mandate of eradicating Benue State of Poverty and Ignorance, thus his agenda.

To achieve this no mean feat, the governor built his development strategy around his cardinal goals of Good governance, revenue security, agriculture-driven industrialization, science-based education and health services, investment in critical infrastructure as well as focus on gender, women, youths, sports and people with disabilities. Seeing that the newly adopted SDGs accommodated his vision he saw need to tailor his plan around the Goals to guarantee their attainment as well as implementation of the blueprint “ Our Collective Vision for a Greater Benue”.

He promptly inaugurated a committee of technocrats and members drawn from various works of life to draw up a 10 year development plan to inculcate his plan alongside the Goals, one which shall be followed religiously by his administration; this feat has earned him international recognition as he was even a special feature at the just concluded United Nations General Assembly and has been copied by many other states in the country.

Apart from ensuring that the state owns a master plan which implants the SDGs, governor Samuel Ortom on receiving the first grant by the Federal Government, gave instructions to ensure that every project executed with such funds adhered to the state 10 year plan thus the 2015 State Track of the MDGs received in 2016 features projects that relate only to revenue security, agriculture-driven industrialization, science-based education and health services, investment in critical infrastructure as well as focus on gender, women, youths, sports and people with disabilities.

Already work has been completed on the projects and waiting commissioning of the following projects:

LGA	DISCRIPTION OF ITEM	LOCATION
Makurdi	Construction of Enterprise Development & Innovation Centre	Makurdi
Ushongo	Construction of Orange Packaging Plant	Ushongo
Guma	Construction of Skills Acquisition Centre	Gbajimba
Ado	Construction of Skills Acquisition Centre	Apa-Agila
ZONE A
Kwande	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Gube, Usar
	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Boagundu, Mbadura
Ushongo	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Gbatse, Mbayegh
Vandeikya	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Zor, Mbakyaha
Ukum	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Mbangor, Ityuluv
Konshisha	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Tse-Agberagba, Township
ZONE B
Gboko	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Kusugh-Mbasuwa, Mbatsar
	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Akpagher-Mbatiav
Guma	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Unzhul, Saghev
	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Azom, Kaambe
Tarka	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Mbajir-Asukunya, Mbachaver-Kyondo
Gwer-East	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Ayar-Mbalom, Mbalom
Gwer-West	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Agbo-Gyahudu, Sengev/Yengev
Buruku	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Ashamina, Etulo
ZONE C
Agatu	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Aila, Egba
Obi	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Ugbodom, Ito
Oju	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	OworiObutu, Okpokpo
Otukpo	1. Construction of Primary Health Care Centre 2. Supply of medical equipment and furniture 3. Construction of solar powered borehole	Umogidi, Entekpa

Although more development is ongoing in order sectors of the economy as Several ministries and MDAs including Ministries of, Rural Development Environment, Health, Education just to mention a few where massive developmental strides have been recorded, it is no doubt that with the transparency and commitment shown by the Samuel Ortom Administration, the Sustainable Development Goals will surely achieved as their achievement is consequent on delivering on the peoples promised campaign mandate.

Ati Terkula is the Senior Special Assistant to the Benue State Governor on SDGs- Media/ICT. He can be reached via afrochyld247@gmail.com