Benue Rising Again After Decades Of Neglect — Ogra Declares, Hails Tinubu And Alia

Benue State is rising again after decades of neglect, Senior Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, O’tega Ogra, has said, commending President Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia for their renewed focus on the state’s development.

Ogra, who spoke after visiting Benue State, described the trip as an “eye-opener,” noting that it was the only state in Nigeria he had never previously visited.

He commended Governor Alia for “putting his people’s development first” despite the challenges associated with governing the state.

The Senior Special Assistant on Digital Engagement, Strategy and New Media, said he was particularly impressed by the growing collaboration between the Federal Government and the Benue State Government in reviving critical infrastructure and economic assets across the state.

According to him, the renewed intervention covers “inter- and intra-state roads, agro-processing plants, circular economies, moribund factories, water processing plants, schools, hospitals, etc.”

He said the development was significant given the level of deterioration and neglect he observed in some parts of the state over the years.

Ogra noted that Benue had produced Nigeria’s longest-serving Senate President, but questioned why critical infrastructure and productive assets in the state were allowed to “either rot or die.”

He, however, said the situation was changing, with government efforts now focused on restoring infrastructure, strengthening agriculture and creating opportunities for residents.

“After decades of neglect, things seem to be on the rise again in Benue,” the member of the Executive Committee of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) said, while stressing that “more still needs to be done.”

He added that President Tinubu’s repeated emphasis that “the reward for hard work, is more work” remained relevant to the development process in Benue.

According to him, the ultimate beneficiaries of the renewed efforts would be the people of Benue and Nigeria as a whole.

Ogra said conversations with residents during his visit showed that some communities were already experiencing the impact of the interventions.

“From the Benue citizens I spoke to, many were happy that they can move their produce faster and more efficiently from farms to markets and city,” he said.

He also highlighted reported improvements in access to primary maternal healthcare, saying pregnant women now had better access to such services.

The recently elected President of Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) further said more qualified teachers were being employed across primary and secondary schools, while active outgrower schemes were helping to provide agricultural inputs needed by agro-processors.

Ogra said the developments showed the importance of sustained collaboration between the Federal Government and state governments in tackling infrastructure deficits and unlocking the economic potential of states.

He expressed optimism that the ongoing interventions would help reposition Benue as a stronger agricultural and industrial hub, while improving living conditions and economic opportunities for its people.