BY NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG
Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has enumerated the critical areas of intervention that the N5 billion given by the Federal Government to buffer the harsh effects of the removal of subsidy on petroleum products.
While disclosing that the state government has received N2 billion out of the money allocated to the state and is expecting the next portion, Alia said the state government would use the funds to register students of government secondary schools for the West African Examination Council and National Examination Council examinations for the 2023/2024 academic year.
The fund, Alia said, “will be used to provide intensive computer and ICT training for 2000 youths of the state to enable them acquire jobs within and outside the state.”
He added that the 5,000 women in the state, based on the revised social register of the women cooperatives, will get the grant.
Hardships faced by commuters in the state will also be addressed with the purchase of 100 new buses for the state-owned transport company, Benue Links.
Alia made these disclosures at the flag off of the distribution of relief materials to victims of the 2022 flood in Makurdi.
The Benue governor also promised to provide shuttle buses in the three major towns of Makurdi, Gboko, and Otukpo.
Retirees from the state and local government service were not left out of the plan, as Alia promised to pay one month pension arrears to them.
The 23 local government areas in the state are also billed to receive food items like rice in large quantities.
