Pastor Adeboye In Benue,Commiserates with Gov and Benue people over killings by herdsmen. PHOTOS

Speaking on Friday during a visit to Benue state, the General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye expressed displeasure with the mindless killings of people by Fulani herdsmen in Benue State and other parts of the country.

The man of God alongside his wife, Folu condoled with Governor Samuel Ortom and prayed for the government and people of the state over the killings by suspected herdsmen.
The cleric called for a halt to the killings. Speaking to the gathering, Pastor Adeboye said he did not visit the state before the President did so that politicians would not read meaning into his action.He said Benue State was very dear to his heart and that he had felt every pain the people felt, saying he wept when he saw the people weeping.

“Of course, no man of God will see a mass burial anywhere and not feel the pains of the people affected.

“We want these killings to stop. Happily, we know someone who can stop it.

“He is the almighty God, He does not fail or compromise, He is the God of all.

“We will continue to call on Him to fight this battle and you can be assured that victory will be certain.”

Earlier, Governor Ortom had lamented that the incursions of herdsmen into the state, apart from leading to the deaths of many, had created a huge humanitarian crisis in the state.
He appealed to the church to sustain prayers for the government and people of the state, “given the enormous challenge the crisis posed to the wellbeing of the people of the state.”

ORTOM'S RADIO CHAT; THE GAFFES, THE OPPOSITION AND THE DIGNITY OF BENUE WORKERS. by Chris Tion

After listening to Benue State Governor Chief Samuel Ortom's interview on Harvest FM on 2nd August 2017 ,media mogul Chris Tion takes a look at some of the high points in his interview, Please read.

I was privileged by a quirk of fate to listen live to H.E. Samuel Ortom’s radio chat on Harvest FM, Makurdi, on the morning of 2nd August, 2017. This article is my personal take on it from the prism of a brand communicator. It is lengthy, so if you don’t like long write ups you may stop here. If you might be irked by a frank and objective analysis of the radio chat you may also stop reading now.

THE ACCESSIBLE GOVERNOR
Since the creation of Benue State on 3rd February 1976, no governor or sole administrator has consciously tried to connect with the people as much as H. E. Ortom. This is evidenced by his live radio sessions, like the one in view, various stakeholders’ forums, and the relative accessibility of the “Benue People’s House” (his moniker for the Benue State Government House) to ordinary folks. It says something deep about his person. He wants to communicate with his people. It also means he gives an account of his stewardship to the populace directly and therefore is more susceptible to scrutiny than previous governors who lorded it over the populace and shrouded government activities in mystery. At lease based on his own pronouncements he can be held to account.
This is a commendable trait and he must be encouraged to keep at it. For instance, H.E. Ortom said the current wage bill of Benue State is N7.8billion. Whenever he learn of something to the contrary we would be justified to call him out.
There are a few better ways to be truly transparent!

RADIO CHATS, A SLIPPERY SLOPE
The 32nd President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt (president from 1933-1945) is reputed to have first delivered the weekly radio address to his citizens, then called “fireside chats.”  President Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) later revived the practice and his successors, save for George H. W. Bush, have all continued the practice.
While the earlier version of the weekly radio chat was a one way interaction, the later versions with the advent of new media have become more “interactive”, given that they are shared on platforms like YouTube and people make comments which the presidents’ handlers can aggregate and analyze as direct feedback.

In Nigeria President Olusegun Obasanjo started the Presidential Media chat where a host of journalists would ask him questions and the rest of the public would participate via phone call-in. President Goodluck Jonathan continued this practice. The incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari, has held only one live session since he came into office on 29th May, 2015. This was on 30th December, 2015.
Live media chats are not a picnic. Ask any brand communicator and his/her response will give you an inkling to how tricky they are. The feedback is also not always rosy (the more reason H.E. Ortom deserves a pat on the back). In fact criticisms trailed several of Jonathan’s sessions so much so that each session must have been a nightmarish experience for him and his handlers. Don’t forget all the social media memes and trolls that followed each outing. That Buhari has had only one chat, described by a Punch columnist, Abimbola Adelakan as a “tepid performance” since assuming office, could be down to the groundswell of negative feedback his only outing got.

As perilous as live media chats maybe, any sincere government would crave the opportunity to have its leading light interact with the governed as this serves as a barometer to gauge public opinion. Public opinion shapes the reality of governments, or at least in a democracy they should. As noted above it could also be a slippery slope that could spell doom for the proponents rather than the good they seek to gain. This is down to two key factors, its very nature, a live broadcast devoid of “control” and the adeptness of the principals’ handlers. The lack of the later profoundly exacerbates the precariousness of the former.

ORTOM GAFFES: SNAKES, OPPOSITION, DEBTORS AND TITHES
H.E. Ortom, to my humble estimation committed several unforced gaffes that ended up marring his good intentions for holding the radio chat on 2nd August 2017. For the purpose of this discourse I will single out just two and share the excerpts of the transcript of his chat that bear witness to my opinion.

The first gaffe.

MODERATOR:
Mr Governor, while you were away, actually, some issues trended, especially on the social media that perhaps need addressing one of which is the allegation about rearing of snakes. What do you have to say about it?

H.E. ORTOM:
YOU KNOW, IT IS AN UNFORTUNATE DEVELOPMENT. THE OPPOSITION IN BENUE STATE HAVE NO ISSUE AGAINST THIS GOVERNMENT AND SO THEY ARE ALWAYS FABRICATING THINGS TO GENERATE DISCUSSIONS THAT WILL DISTRACT THE GOVERNMENT’S ATTENTION AND WILL ALSO PORTRAY THE GOVERNMENT IN BAD LIGHT AND MAKE IT LOOK AS IF WE ARE DOING NOTHING. BUT LOOK AT THEM, THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, WHAT DID THEY DO? LOOTING. YOU KNOW, LOOK AT WHAT THEY WERE DOING, DESTROYING PEOPLES FAMILIES AND SO ON. AND, CAN THEY COMPARE THEMSELVES WITH WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITHIN THESE TWO YEARS DESPITE THE CHALLENGES THEY THREW US INTO? WE CAME IN, WE INHERITED A DEFICIT TREASURY, SALARY ARREARS OF OVER N69BILLION. AND THE SAME PEOPLE WILL GO BACK AND BE CHALLENGING THIS GOVERNMENT FOR BORROWING MONEY TO PAY THESE ARREARS OF SALARIES THEY LEFT BEHIND. SO THEY ARE ALWAYS FABRICATING THESE. THE OTHER TIME IT WAS WHEELBARROW. WHAT IS WHEELBARROW? WHAT IS SNAKES? THEY TALK ABOUT WHEELBARROW, WHEELBARROW THAT WE EVEN CAME OUT AND CLARIFIED THAT THEY WERE DONATED TO US BY FEDERAL AGENCY, EMERGENCY RELIEF AGENCY, FEDERAL EMERGENCY RELIEF AGENCY. BUT THEY STILL WENT ON AND ON AND WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEELBARROW, BUT OF COURSE THOSE PEOPLE WHO COLLECTED THOSE WHEELBARROWS WERE VERY HAPPY WE DONATED IT TO THEM. THE ONLY MISTAKE WHICH I QUESTIONED AND QUERIED THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY WAS FOR INSCRIBING MY NAME ON THE WHEELBARROW. THERE WAS NO NEED BECAUSE IT DIDN’T GENERATE FROM ME. IT DIDN’T COME FROM ME. IT WAS A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT BROUGHT IT, SO HE WOULD HAVE INSCRIBED THE NAME OF THE FEDERAL AGENCY ON IT. IT WASN’T ME, AND I QUERIED HIM BUT THEY WENT ON AND ON. SO THAT SHOWS THAT THIS PEOPLE ARE EMPTY, THERE IS NO ISSUE TO CONFRONT THIS GOVERNMENT BASED ON WHAT WE ARE DOING.
Otherwise I will say that it is not even a crime doing a snake farm. Today I read on social media an associate professor who is researching on snake, and he said, South Africa exports snakes and gets a lot of money and several other countries and they are also doing it in Nigeria. So it is not a crime...I understand a renowned General in the army has a snake farm in Nigeria here. There is nothing wrong. I have not seen any law banning anybody from owning a snake farm but that is not my programme or on my agenda. I am a farmer, I am into several sectors of farming but not in snake farm. Rather for the past 20 years I have been working and saving lives, you can go to St Theresa’s Hospital, now Bishop Murray Hospital, I have retained the services of that hospital for the past 20 years and they treat snake bite victims who are usually peasant people who have no resources and sometimes for a dangerous snake life puff adder or viper that can kill within a short time you spend as much as a million or more than one million naira to treat one victim. These I have been footing right from when I started Oracle Business Limited. That was one of the things that empowered me to establish a foundation so that whatever profit we are getting, we are leaving part of the funds. And since then I have been doing this. And it will amaze you that between May, June , no between April and June, 3 months, these are usually farming period when people go to the farm and so usually the snake get their victims around this time more. Between this time alone, within these three months I was given a bill of N33million for more than a hundred people. These are people who would have died and thousands of people have been save as a result of this  work that I am doing with St Theresa’s Hospital and Rahama Hospital. So instead of looking for people because, the financial burden, though I am governor now, but the burden is so much on me. I would have loved somebody researching and saying that how can we do to help because it is much. And if I have my way, because of the pains that these snakes bring to families and to individuals I would have eliminated all snakes in Benue State as far as I am concerned. But I am not into snake farming but I want to clarify that it is not an offence for anybody who will decide to go into it. Because snake, the venom if you harvest it, it is used for the anti-snake venom. So it is money, people make it. It is not an offence, worldwide there is nowhere that somebody has been accused of having a snake farm.
SO WHAT I AM SAYING IS THIS OPPOSITION IN BENUE STATE ARE VERY EMPTY PEOPLE, THEY HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER SO THEY WILL JUST GO AND GENERATE THIS THINGS. THEY WILL TALK ABOUT SALARY, AND THEN TALK ABOUT SNAKE, AND TALK ABOUT WHEELBARROWS. THEY SHOULD TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT CAN REALLY MOVE BENUE FORWARD, THEY SHOULD CHALLENGE ME. I AM READY TO ACCEPT SUPERIOR ARGUMENTS ON ANYTHING THAT COMES.

So where is the gaffe in the governor’s response? A simple word count of his response shows he used 860 words to answer the question about snakes, of these words, he used 373 or 43.3% of the words to talk about the opposition. His outrage at the opposition went on for the first 3 minutes before he even answered the actual question posed to him!
What this says is that, the governor is allowing critics define who he is. And his obsession with the opposition is in turn beclouding his vision. By elevating their antics to prominence as he has done in the above highlighted sections of his response, he is unwittingly giving the opposition some form of victory and space within his own space. Remember he was the one at the studio and not the opposition but he made his talk all about them. This serves him no purpose. It only gives the opposition verve.

A leader should be strong in the face of critics. In today’s social-media crazy world a leader will have plenty of fans and critics. The key is to do your work and avoid either praise or criticism get to you. Clearly, H.E. Ortom has allowed the opposition to get to him.

This piece by Jon Gordon in his book, THE POWER OF POSITIVE LEADERSHIP may comfort him;
"Positive leaders don’t lead because they want recognition or enemies. They lead because there is something they must do, build, create, transform, and change. They lead because it’s who they are and what they are meant to do. However, with leadership comes scrutiny, praise, critics, and attacks. A leader could find a cure for cancer and would still have some people criticize them for it. There was even once a leader who transformed the world by feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and loving the unlovable, and yet he was killed for it. If you are a leader, expect to be attacked. Positive leadership doesn’t mean you won’t be criticized. It means you have the grit and belief to overcome it. Positive leaders don’t lead in a tranquil sea of positivity, but through the storms of adversity and negativity. Leadership is knowing that the critics will criticize you while still saying what needs to be said and doing what needs to be done."

The second gaffe.

MODERATOR:
Your Excellency, let’s talk about what will move Benue forward. Talking about development issues, as Governor-elect you took a trip to China, and after your inauguration you have been to China several times and with high hopes and expectations from Benue people that they are going to get dividends of democracy yielding from economic growth of the state especially in the area of wealth creation. Some of your campaign promises were to drive the economy of the state through industrialization and also to make the welfare of the workers and pensioners your priority as well as to provide free education for citizens. (“Free education when the economy improves” interjects H.E. Ortom) You talked about halftime, we are in the halftime now, what effort is your administration, what pragmatic steps are you taking to address these issues of industrialization, welfare of workers and pensioners, as well as what we are talking about, creating wealth for the state and not depending on federal allocation from the federation account.

H.E. ORTOM:
( This is just a part of his response). On welfare of staff especially, it is something we placed  as a matter of priority. And currently we have declared a state of emergency on payment of salaries. The implication is that we give priority attention to payment of salaries against other projects of government we are supposed to do and also ensure that we do proper screening to eliminate those ghost workers that are collecting salaries and draining the purse of government. This area we have done very well. We inherited a wage bill of over N8.2 billion naira when we came both at the local government and at the state, but based on the screening and the prudent manner and the blocking of leakages that we instituted we’ve been able to bring it down to N7.8billion at the state and local government (levels). It would have been more but we had to introduce minimum wage to teachers because they were denied minimum wage. Others were collecting, teachers were not collecting so we came and we did introduce the minimum wage, so we are standing at N7.8billion but we believe that with the current screening being conducted, headed by the deputy governor will also bring it down. The idea is to ensure we pay genuine workers who have worked and they should get their money at the end of the day. And despite all the challenges we have done well. And the impression sometimes that we have not paid salaries for 10 months, we have not owed anyone for 10 months. It is not in Benue State to the best of my knowledge. No one is owed up to 10 months....

So for every two months, what we have been doing is we pay all category of workers salary both at the state and local government one month salary. But I think that some workers are not being fair to us. And here too the opposition comes in, people who are not workers, who are not on the pay list will go and say “Ortom pay us salary”. And they are not workers. Which salary? They are fake workers. But some workers are not fair to us because at least we have been open, it’s not that we have hidden money anywhere. Whatever comes is on the table for everyone to see. So instead of trying to say the truth that, yes last month we did not collect but this month we collected. THEY WILL NOT SAY IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO HIDE FROM THEIR PASTORS. THEY DON’T WANT TO PAY TITHES AND OFFERINGS. (GENERAL LAUGHTER). AND THOSE WHO ARE OWING DON’T WANT TO PAY. WHEN THEY SEE THEIR CREDITORS COMING IN THEY SAY “KAI THIS ORTOM YOU DON’T WANT TO PAY US SALARY THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING” (GENERAL LAUGHTER).

HERE IS WHAT I THINK
In the run up to the 2015 elections in Benue State, the non-payment of salaries by the government of the day was one of the game changers in favour of the All Progressive Congress (APC). They capitalized on this failure to gain support as they promised a speedy resolution of the salary logjam once elected into office. The people bought their promises and the rest, as they say, is history.
That the present government has not been able to keep to that promise of paying the salaries owed workers under whatever guise they claim, is not good enough. However, what is totally appalling, is the governor and his team displaying the sort of insensitivity to the plight of the workers by their mirthfulness as is seen in the highlighted part of his response to the question of workers’ salaries.This is unconscionable. It is a slur on the long suffering workers of Benue State and their dependents to describe them, even in a joke, as liars, dishonest people, who lie to their pastors and creditors. This is as undignifying as it gets. Nobody deserves such abuse!

That was H.E Ortom’s gaffe number two. Making a joke, a mockery of the pains of the Benue workers.

A WARP
H.E. Ortom, projects his administration and his actions as based on the fear of the Christian God he worships. He often interjects his submissions with biblical allusions and references. Even his decision to contest in 2019 is kept in abeyance until he hears from God. It is then only fair to hold him accountable whenever his actions or that of his administration are at variance with his projection. Mahatma Ghandi once said, “To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest.”

In commending him for his relative accessibility to the people, more has to be done. The radio chat for instance should not be anchored by journalists who seem to be kowtowing to the governor, there should be a more broad based participation by independent journalists not affiliated to the government who can ask him more probing questions. The phone lines should be more, and a call waiting facility used to include more participation. And the whole event can be streamed live via Facebook Live for yet more participation. Facebook Live is not expensive.

H.E. Ortom should be more circumspect in the face of real weighty issues. Making fun of people’s predicament robs them of dignity. A man without dignity is nothing.

He also must understand that being fixated on the opposition, as he is now, amounts to poor judgement. Opposition no matter how vile they are, are a part and parcel of the democracy we practise. H.E. Ortom is not in any way facing the tide of criticism President Obama and Jonathan faced or President Donald Trump is facing. He should therefore focus on the work he was elected to do and not regale us with tales of past mismanagement. The people knew all about the mismanagement, that is why they voted into power.

On a last note Gordon’s words suffice again, “History doesn’t remember the critics. It remembers the one who withstood criticism to accomplish something great.”

BARNABAS GEMADE: POLITICS, PARLIAMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICE .

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness” – Martin Luther King Jr.

It is often opined that the whole essence of creation is of man to live for man. Successful leaders, as Famous Chinese ancient Philosopher and writer, Lao Tzu, puts it, seek to place the people as focal factors, leading behind them, naturally placing the people’s cherished priorities, their interests and aspirations most centrally. Therefore, the success or otherwise of leadership is ultimately measured on the content of fulfillment or non derived by the followership from its leadership.
Informed by deeper cogitation and moral appetite to attempt a fair analogy of contemporary
leadership, given its efficacy or otherwise on the followers, one is naturally lured and prompted to dissipate mental energy on a few of such leadership brands that are likely graced in eloquence of what an ideal altruistic leadership should entail. Such leaders with unique passion for service to humanity
and the state spontaneously inches the mind, ,and in same altitude satisfies the curiosity of any author.

Barnabas Andyar Iyorher Gemade by measure of an excelling public service conduct, and a flair for progressively induced politics of development, a consummation of robust parliamentary undertakings
would fairly underscore the above connotation of what an ideal contemporary leadership should practically reflect. One would naturally ponder again with stimulating posers as to who this uniquely carved brand is? His rare, yet celebrated public persona, capped with a novel leadership paradigm that
have kept admirers on wits over decades, and of course some of the rare circumstances that have
carved out such an avowed achiever in our contemporary climes would sure suffice.

A very cursory introspection on Senator Barnabas Gemade’s public image would typically
resonates a sense of confidence and no doubt drive a curious mind to some of the very salient
facts that have over the years modelled this rare character to a profound crest as one of
Nigeria’s greatest minds and assets. In the course of an accomplished lucrative private sector practice and a rather challenging public service conduct, he had continued to fervently hold dear some of the rewarding values that genuinely seek to put the led over and above self. 
With a near untainted tract record of service, prompted on transparency, forthrightness, probity, fairness and an incorruptible stance, he has weathered the very demanding aspects of the Nigerian public service around sensitively challenging capacities of national reckoning and
relevance; first as Managing Director BCC PLC, a Federal Minister of Works, National Party Chairman of CNC and later the PDP, Nigeria’s once ruling Party, and now a Distinguished
Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

While he held firm as a National Party Chair, his deliberate philosophy at uplifting the
standards of humanity especially his Benue kinsmen would again replicate and it became the highest apotheosis in their lives. It is on record that Chief BAI Gemade roundly got over 50 of his Benue indigenes to be appointed into Federal Boards as Chairmen and members, a featunmatched till date since the creation of the State in 1976. This naturally would promptcredence to the obvious fact that this purist persona , his exemplary leadership qualities, an admirable excellent array of lasting prints and achievements still significantly marks for posterity.

As a Distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he has left many marveling at his
inestimable value and care for humanity. He began on assumption of office in the 7th Senate with a deliberate policy at social emancipation and empowerment when he first practicalized the significance of an worthy public servant in the lives of his constituents. Early in 2012 and at  the ancient city of Korinya, Konshisha Local Government Area, and in the full glare of the public including the crème of Nigerian leadership in attendance he had kick start his social empowerment programme in an epoch making public event meant to unveil hisachievements
and dividends for the people. At the height of the event, Gemade had evenly distributed across
the 7 local governments several items to constituents to include:
Fleet of Toyota Hiace 18 Seater buses and Volks Wagen- made saloon cars and wagons,
hundreds of commercial motorcycles and tricycles, vulcanizing machines for the youth segments, several grinding machines mostly for women, generating power sets and including cash gifts to enable the people successfully elk a living through Small and Medium Scale
Enterprises with ease. In full public glare, the Senator’s score -card in infrastructure – education, roads, health, water, power, were reeled out, the people could not help but
emotionally affirmed that indeed this great leader has done much for them . 
A visibly elated Senator Chief David Mark, then Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, had similarly marveled at the magnitude of Senator Gemade’s impact and achievements in such a
relatively short span of time; and in same emotion ridden tone pointed out that indeed these
impressive practical works had surpassed his earlier imagination that ‘a typical Nigerian Senator could achieve thus much in less than 4 years at the Assembly’. To a responsive

Gemade, it was only natural and appropriate that leadership must come with its attendant  significance to give back to the people their ideal place and position as far as his social contract with the people stood.

Equally too, Senator Gemade had early in the life of the 7th Senate advanced the itinerary for hisliberation policy. He fervently pursued and ensured that Federal government employment slots meant for Benue indigenes at the various MDAs, the Police, , The National Bureau of Statistics,
the Nigerian Army, National Lottery Trust Fund, National Human Rights Commission were
roundly allotted and employed. Others fitted into The Nigerian, Security and Civil Defence

Corps, NOSDRA, Federal Universities, The JAMB, INEC, NHIS, NCAA, NPA , the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital as well as the National Planning Commission with several others falling into the Benue State Government establishments.


In same vein the Senator Gemade Scholarship grant scheme had began for constituents students. At inception more than 500 students across the Senatorial zone started benefitting
while the scheme was expanded to touch other vulnerable segments across Benue state. Not
done with the these segments, Senator Gemade at a personal capacity had earlier earmarked
and commenced work on other ventures to include; a cement factory at Mbaivende , Ushongo
Local Government, a fruit juice plant at the industrial Layout, Makurdi with the intrinsic need
to boost local economy and expand the employment coast. This is further heightened through other deliberate agriculture expansion drive when as early as 2012, he transited trailers loads of fertilizers to farmers across his constituency and has sustained same to boost agricultural yields in the face of a depleting crude oil fortunes.


Fundamentally too, roads network construction which analyst believe has being synonymous with Gemade’s since his days as a Minister of Works in the 80s and himself being a Civil Engineer, has prominently featured in his development agenda. On the 4th of March, 2012, he had led the then Honorable Minister of Works, Arch Mike Onolememen to flag off the construction of the Manyam-Ushongo-Lessel-Lobi-Kartyo-Agberagba-Oju-Agila roads as well asthe rehabilitation of the Vandeikya-Tsar-Obudu road and the rehabilitation of the Katsina-Ala-Tor Donga-Takum road, all projects to have been lobbied by the Senator into the 2014 Budget.

In health care delivery , the results are resounding as imagined. This exemplary leader had made bold his altruistic drive where he successfully supplied various state- of –the art medical equipment to each of the 7 General Hospitals across the Senatorial zone. Facilities which were almost moribund and a dearth of itself. Emphasis must be made here on this prolific
parliamentarian’s very notable strides in the education sector. Several completed modern
school blocks at both primary and post primary levels of learning and stocking same with ICT facilities one can only behold same with a chant of fulfilment. With thousands units of both
manual and motorized boreholes evenly spread across the Benue North- East at distinct 
communities and villages
Back on the Floor of the Hallowed Red Chambers of the Assembly, observers duly attest of the erudite public servant, a very virile and robust representative of the people to be a formidable blend in the business of lawmaking, oversights, and effective representation. He is acknowledged to like an excelling student, be very punctual and consistent at the Floor of the Senate, with fledging flair for a high publicly -cherished cerebral contributions for the development and growth of the Nigerian Democracy.

Remarkably so, the articulating voice of Senator Gemade at the Floor of the Senate had been
fierce, particularly against the ignoble activities of Fulani marauders and their resultant
bloodletting on Benue soils and other vulnerable ethnic groups. The populist Bill for the
Establishment of Ranches and Ranches Commission has its sponsorship credited to

Distinguished Senator BAI Gemade, howbeit its inability to scale through successfully given that such matters ranches creation solely lie with the federating states. 

This nonetheless smacks
proofs of an altruistic leader whose penchant to share and seek to alleviate the peoples’ pains makes him the selfless leader he has become in the minds of the people. This is also in addition to his earlier contributions in the 7th Senate, that the Federal Government brought to halt the incessant killings of innocent Benue , Plateau, Kaduna , and Nasarawa indigenes and his committed efforts to engender peace in such vulnerable areas.

With a better understanding and apriori of the socio- economic and political terrain, a clear
knowledge of the Nigerian state, her people and their aspirations and pains Senator Gemade
would usually advocate very prolific Bills that usually serve more in the interest of Nigerians and the nation. Some of such potent Bills so articulated include:
-Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the 1990 Constitution to Entrench Right to Food as a Fundamental Human Right of Nigerians.

-Bill for an Act to Provide for the Facilitation and Coordination of Public infrastructure
Development to Ensure that Infrastructural Development is given priority in Planning.

-Bill for an Act to Amend the EFCC (Establishment)Act 2004.

-Bill for an Act to Repeal the Bankrupcy and Insolvency Act.

-Bill for an Act to Amend the National Institute of Sports.., amongst others.
As early as the 1990s, the Tiv Area Traditional Council had recognized Chief BAI Gemade’s very vast yet selfless contributions to motherland. As a mark of honour, he was vested with the traditional title of Nom I Yange U Tiv literally translated as the Rising Sun Of Tiv Nation ; an honour that has been squared up to it ‘s attendant significance and responsibilities for a well
prepared leader of impeccable reckoning, immense credentials and the overall development of his Tiv and Nigeria at large.

Senator Chief (Dr) Engr Barnabas Andyar Iyorher Gemade, FNSE OFR, Is the Senate committee
Chairman on Housing and Urban Development. He had earlier served as Committee Chairmanfor National Planning in the 7th Senate where his zeal for nation building naturally reflectsthrough persistent sponsorship of Bills and motions, raising points of order and other salient
oversight roles and achieving optimal results to the benefit and admiration of many.

AKOSU EMMANUEL LUBEM
WRITES FROM ABUJA, NIGERIA
Twitter: @lubem-akosu, E-mail: akosumela@gmail.com

Lead Benue presents, Community Service,Flood Awareness & Prevention Outreach . Get more details here.

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency Director General, Moses Beckley, has warned that 2017 floods will affect no fewer than 30 States in Nigeria. He said the floods would spread to many local government areas, and called on government at all levels to ensure early preparation. 

The states according to NIHSA are: Niger, Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Kwara, FCT, Kogi, Taraba, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Delta, Bayelsa, Imo, Rivers, Enugu, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Lagos, Ekiti, Abia, Cross River, Akwa-Ibom, Kano, Jigawa, and Edo.

Given that Benue is listed and from previous experiences, the govt failed to heed the early warning and act until the onset of the floods which led to massive destruction of properties, lives and displacement of persons. It is against this background that LEAD should mobilize and engage residents in flood prone areas to initiate some mitigating interventions.

Proposed Interventions
Clearing of blocked drainages within strategic locations in Makurdi Metropolis: LEAD Benue should take the lead on the weekend of 21st and 22nd of July in undertaking community service around major drainages in Wurukum, low level and Akpehe. 

This will both inspire residents to join as well as challenge the State government to mobilize the relevant department and agencies to embark on a more robust drainage clearing exercise.

Awareness creation:

 LEAD TEAM to consider a road show from Abinsi to terminate at Wurukum Market. The idea is to have a public-address system which will be used to enlighten residents along the flood prone axis about the impending floods likely expected from August. IEC materials in pigin English could be considered for sharing during the drive through.

Courtesy Visits: LEAD TEAM should within the same weekend consider courtesy calls on traditional leaders of key communities along the flood prone axis beginning with Ter Makurdi, Chief of Wadata, Chief of Wurukum, Chiefs of Mu, Abinsi and other similar community leaders. The courtesy calls will climax with visit to Harvest FM and Radio Benue during which we will appeal to them to use their CSR and place daily alert messages and jingles on why residents of flood areas need to look out for early warning signs and vacate their locations in time.

Finally, A state Press conference at the NUJ house in which we will sound out young people to embrace the culture of community service and see themselves grooming for service oriented leadership.

Attention BENSESA! Despite warning ,Heaps of Refuse take over streets in Makurdi, Benue State. PHOTOS.

Heaps of refuse have taken over some streets and major roads in Makurdi town.

A Makurdi resident posted these pictures on Facebook after noticing  the current situation within the metropolis on Saturday, he reported that receptacles placed at strategic locations were filled and overflowing with domestic waste.See more pictures.

We have recovered N8bn from N107bn looted under Suswam – Ortom

The Benue State Government has announced the recovery of over N4.8 billion from the 107billion Naira allegedly looted by 52 officials of the immediate past government of Gabriel Suswam.

The officials were allegedly indicted by Justice Elizabeth Kpojime, Commission of Inquiry.

Governor Samuel Ortom, who made this disclosure, said the recoveries include the N4.5 billion capital market bond fraud, involving a new generation bank, compelled by the Security and Exchange Commission to make the refund, while San Calos Limited, one of the indicted companies, refunded N370 million to the state government.

The governor, while addressing newsmen on Wednesday alleged that “Those who are willing to make a refund, we will accept refund and we will exonerate them, for instance, San Carlos refunded N370 Million, we have also recently recovered money that was diverted which the Justice Elizabeth Kpojime report also mentions.

“The N4.5 Billion which the previous government collected for projects and diverted to pay for overdraft, that money has been credited to our account and further paid to the contractors that the prospectus originally indicated, that has been done and we also discovered that all the documents which the previous government used in securing that overdraft were forged.

“There is no corresponding facts to what is in the file and the state executive council minutes with regards to the overdraft and so we are going to prosecute all those people. We are waiting for as many who are willing to make restitution, we are also willing to forgive them and move on with issues of governance”.

Source DailyPost

"It has been discovered that militant leader 'Ghana' has a link with Boko Haram,he was trained in Borno,Cameroun.- Ortom

The Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, yesterday said security agencies are closing in on a militant, Terwaze Akwazza (a.k.a Ghana), and his gang members terrorizing the state.

He said it had been discovered that militant leader has a link with Boko Haram.

He said it was God that saved the state because it would have had another Boko Haram episode.

Ortom, who made the disclosures in a chat with newsmen in Abuja, said the wanted terrorist will soon be rounded up.

He said the state government did its best to accommodate Akwazza through its amnesty programme.

Akwazza has held three local governments captive in Benue State.

The local government areas are Logo, Katsina-Ala and Ukum

The governor said: “It is a terrible thing, but the Federal Government, the Benue State security apparatus and that of Taraba State are working together. He was residing at the border of Taraba. I and Governor Darius Ishaku are working together and we are closing in on him. We have arrested most of his close associates.

“Recently, one of his wives came to surrender. We believe that Ghana would be rounded up very soon.”

“He (Akwazza) was trained in Borno and Cameroun.  I think he is linked with Boko Haram terrorists. All that they do is to cause chaos or to kill.

“Initially when we came in and we did the amnesty programme, he was one of the people that came forward close to the three months of the programme. He surrendered himself; we accepted him. He pleaded that he had a lot of followership and we told him to bring others too and they should surrender and he did.

“The very day he came alone, he surrendered 87 guns, thousands of ammunition and several other weapons, including explosives.

“We extended the amnesty by another one month because of him. He brought other weapons  and we accepted them. In the course of rehabilitating the boys and himself, we gave him a contract appointment for the collection of revenue consulting contracts.

“But he was not sincere. He went behind and was committing several criminal activities, including kidnapping, killing and robbery.

“My late Special Assistant on Security, Denen Igbana, was able to rescue 13 kidnap victims and when my special assistant fingered him that he was responsible, he organized and went to kill him.

“That was how he fell out and started running away from security agents. Since then, he has been running and we declared him wanted.

Ortom said the militancy of Akwazza was beyond what the state could handle and it had to seek help from the Federal Government.

He added: “It was beyond us at the state level because one thing that we noticed was that he had mass followership. I don’t know how evil can spread within a short time. We discovered he was buying motor-cycles for most of those youths that were around there and putting them into his gang.

“I think it was just God that helped us. We would have had another Boko Haram episode in Benue State, if we had not identified him as a terrorist. Today, the Federal Government’s attention has been drawn to the situation.

“We are in a democratic era, and we are civil as much as possible. This man was caught on many occasions and somehow he always escaped.

“It is believed that the man is very powerful through witchcraft. If you discuss about him, he would know and he would come and kill you. So people are afraid to give us information. It has compounded our problem.

“He has intimidated his people to kill. He kills anybody he suspects may give him away.”

Benue workers celebrate Workers Day at IBB Square Makurdi. PHOTOS

Benue state governor Samuel Ortom joined  workers in the state to observe workers day on May 1st 2017, at IBB square Makurdi.See more pictures credit to Frank Ihundu.

Police Parade Suspects Arrested In Connection With Zaki Biam Killings (Photos)

The Nigeria Police on Friday paraded suspects arrested in connection with the brutal killings of innocent persons and destruction of properties worth millions of Naira, in Zaki Biam, Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State on March 20th.

Police spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood, said the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris, had swiftly deployed Police Special Tactical Force and an high powered investigation team to unravel the circumstances surrounding the gruesome killings and bring the perpetrators to justice.

 

"The preliminary investigation and the operations embarked upon by the joint Police team revealed that one Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana, a gang leader of a vicious and notorious serial killer syndicate was responsible for the senseless killings of seventeen (17) innocent persons at Zaki Biam and for killing in cold blood of about fifty (50) people in other locations in Benue State. He is also responsible for so many kidnappings, armed robberies and cultists violence leading to loss of lives and properties in other parts of Benue State. Further investigation revealed that he is also responsible for killing of Mr. Deneen Igbana (late) the Special Adviser on Security to the Executive Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom.

Consequently, the Inspector General of Police ordered the Special Police teams already on ground in Benue State to immediately embark on manhunt for Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana and his gang members and bring them to justice.

This joint operations comprising the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Military and the Department of State Service for the arrest of Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana and his vicious criminal gang is currently ongoing in Benue State.

In the dogged pursuit of the operations the Nineteen (19) suspects listed below were arrested for conspiracy and other various criminal roles they played in the killings of innocent persons and other violent crimes carried out by Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana in Benue State.

They are currently in Police custody. During interrogation they admitted to be cohorts of the wanted suspect “Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana” and have facilitated the commission of some of the offences linked to him at different times in Benue and other neighbouring States. They will be charged to court on completion of investigation accordingly.

i. Tordue Kaaor 'M'
ii. Hiikenter Orbunde 'M'
iii. Vincent Asemave 'M'
iv. David Terhembe ‘M’
v. Dalhatu Abdullahi ‘M’
vi. Iortember Orkuma ‘M’
vii. Manasseh Ikyar ‘M’
viii. Nengene Ikyar ‘M’
ix. Joshua Ioraonya ‘M’
x. Joseph John ‘M’
xi. akowakwahve ‘M’
xii. Terwase Sabastine ‘M’
xiii. Sunday Utza ‘M’
xiv. Umsughaondo Gbaga ‘M’
xv. Swem Utiu ‘M’
xvi. Terwase John ‘M’
xvii. Mbadon Mbati ‘F’
xviii. Tame Buumbu ‘F’
xix. Godwin Iorhundu ‘M’

RECOVERY OF CACHE OF WEAPONS, WHICH INCLUDES LMG, SMG, HAND-GRENADES EXPLOSIVES AND ASSORTED ARMS AND AMMUNITION.

The below listed weapons and exhibits were discovered and recovered in a secret underground armory of Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana by the joint team of Police personnel, the Military and the DSS during joint assault on Ghana’s hideout in the Forest in a location in Benue State. The principal suspect (Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana) and his gang abandoned their hideout and narrowly escaped further into the forest as a result of the superior firepower of the joint operation teams. 

EXHIBITS RECOVERED:

i. Three (3) AK 47 Rifles
ii. Three (3) FN Rifles
iii. One (1) G3 Rifle
iv. One (1) LMG
v. One (1) SMG
vi. One (1) Double-Barrel Gun
vii. One (1) Mark 4 Rifle
viii. Four (4) Single-Barrel Guns
ix. Four (4) Locally-Made Revolver Pistols
x. Five (5) Locally-Made Revolver Pistols
xi. Thirty (36) Hand-Grenades
xii. Two (2) Short Gun Local
Magazines:
i. One hundred and forty one (141) Ak47 Magazines
ii. Twenty (20) FN Magazines
iii. Eighteen (18) 6x G3 Magazines
iv. Three (3) Mark 4 Magazines
v. One (1) Spear
Ammunition:
i. Five hundred and thirty six ( 536) rounds of 7.62 mm NATO
ii. Four hundred and sixty- six (466) rounds of 7.62 mm
iii. Four hundred and sixty four (464) rounds of Special
iv. Twenty nine (29) rounds of 9mm Ball
v. One hundred and nineteen (119) rounds of 5.56mm 118
vi. One (1) round of 12.7 mm
vii. Five hundred and thirty three (533) cartridges for Double-Barrel Guns
viii. Twelve (12) Canisters Teargas
ix. Fifty (50) rounds of Air-rifle ammunition

OTHER ITEMS:

i. Two (2) bottles of perfume
ii. One (1) Knife
iii. One (1) Plier
iv. One (1) SMG Magazine
v. Six (6) Beretta Magazine

Source JTown

FG set to arraign former governor Gabriel Suswam

The Federal Government will on Tuesday arraign a former Governor of Benue State, Dr. Gabriel Suswam, before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court over alleged diversion of N9.7 billion.

Already, the case has been listed on the court’s cause list for arraignment.

The former governor will be arraigned before the court on a 32-count fresh money laundering charges, alongside Omadachi Oklobia, his former Commissioner of Finance and Janet Aluga, former Accountant, Benue State Government House‎ Administration.

‎ The prosecution said that in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/48/2017, part of the money was meant for police reform and Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme.

The prosecution alleged that Suswam and others cornered the said funds between 2012 and 2015 while Suswam was the governor of Benue State.

Help Us To Find This Notorious Criminal And Get N10m-Benue State Government

Benue State Government has announced a N10m reward for anyone who volunteers information leading to the arrest of a notorious criminal, Terwase Akwaza, also known as Gana. He was declared wanted after he allegedly killed Governor Samuel Ortom’s Special Assistant on Special Security Denen Igbana. 

He was also linked to the recent massive attacks and killings on Zaki Biam town in Ukum local government area where over 17 people were shot dead in broad daylight. Ortom announced the bounty on Saturday  at the burial of Mama Kwaghnzuul Naikyo Degarr, the mother-in-law to Secretary to the State Government, Professor Anthony Ijohor, at Tse-Degarr in Mbajir, Shitile, Katsina-Ala local Government Area. 

He explained the upward review of the reward from N5 million will be formalised at the next State Security Council meeting. He restated the resolve of his administration to expose criminals and advised the people against shielding hoodlums in their midst. The governor said those with useful security information should contact relevant authorities and gave assurance such informants would be protected.

Mrs Ortom begs Tor Tiv elect to review Bride-Price in Tiv land.

Wife of the Benue Governor, Mrs Eunice Ortom, has appealed to Tor Tiv-elect, Prof. James Ayatse, to review bride-prices in Tiv land, to enable young men to get married “when due”.

Mrs Ortom made the appeal on Tuesday when she paid a courtesy visit to the Tor Tiv-elect in Makurdi.

She decried the high demands made of young men seeking to marry Tiv daughters, and described the situation as “very discouraging”.

“Such high demands discourage many bachelors from even attempting to get married; the result is that many young girls cannot find husbands,” she said.

The governor’s wife argued that such exorbitant charges were not part of Tiv culture.

“Such charges are imported; our traditional rulers should discard them,” she said.

While noting that bride-price payment was sacrosanct in every marriage, she cautioned parents against selling their daughters “especially since the relationship between in-laws remains long after such marriage rites”.

She regretted that many young men now preferred to elope with their loved ones owing to such huge monetary demands, and stressed the need to make the process affordable so as to restore the sanctity of the marriage institution.

Ortom pledged her support to the new monarch, saying that his emergence was an act of God that would bring unity to the Tiv nation.

Responding, the traditional ruler promised to work toward a united Tiv nation and promised to be truthful, transparent and promote the fear of God at all times.

He also promised to uphold valuable cultural practices and repeal negative ones.

Ayatse decried the politics of rancour and acrimony in Tiv land and promised to reconcile Tiv sons and daughters toward building a united front.

Pensioners in Benue besiege State Secretariat over unpaid arrears. PHOTOS

 Pensioners from the 23 local government councils of Benue on Monday besieged the state secretariat demanding an immediate payment of their 10 months’ unpaid arrears from the state government.
The pensioners said they had been suffering and wanted the state government to act fast before they would all die.

Mr. Moses Ejeh, who spoke on behalf of the pensioners, pleaded with the state government to pay them their arrears to enable them offset their pressing obligations such as healthcare and feeding.
Ejeh also said most of their members who had died were due to the hardship occasioned by the non-payment of their pensions.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the pensioners, who came out in large numbers, blocked the gate to the secretariat as early as 8 a.m., to make their impact felt.

The Permanent Secretary, office of the Head of Service, Mr.Zakari Audu, who attended to them, promised to convey their message to the appropriate quarters.
He consoled them over the death of some of their colleagues within the period that they were owed.
Audu, who said this was the first time the pensioners would gather to express their grievances.
He assured them that the arrears would be paid as soon as money was available.