- * Hails Re-opening Of Bama-Banki-Cameroun Road Closed 9 Years After War Closure
By Chinwendu Agoha (Governance Reporter)
The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has called on the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom to hearken to the voice of the Tiv Youths Council Worldwide who recently decried his governance style.
According to the youths, Governor Ortom's administration has 'pulverized and pauperized' the State, resulting in the failure of his government to pay workers’ salaries and pensions over several months.
In a statement by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, BMO noted that the Tiv Youths Council Worldwide had in a statement chided Governor Ortom to refrain from constantly blackmailing the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, while back home he has failed woefully in delivering good governance to his people.
BMO recalled that Governor Ortom had on his arrival in Markudi, capital of Benue state, told waiting for reporters that the worst military regime was better than President Buhari’s administration.
"It has therefore become imperative to remind Governor Ortom that were his jaundiced opinion about President Buhari’s administration true, it would have compelled Governor Ortom to pay workers’ salaries and pensioners’ allowances as at when due.
"We also want to inform Governor Ortom that the Buhari administration is famous for its civility, as it has consistently engaged Nigerians constructively, and provided a listening ear to the Nigerian people.
"We believe that the advice of the Tiv Youths Council Worldwide has come at an auspicious time in order to draw the attention of the world to the hypocrisy of a Governor who has failed in discharging his statutory obligations to his state but finds it convenient to embark on a blame game against the Buhari administration as a way of covering his shortcomings at home.
"We also add our voice to advise Governor Ortom that time has come for him to indeed retrace his steps as the youths rightly advised and focus towards developing Benue State, where, as the youths noted, development has taken the back seat and retrogression the order of the day".
BMO added that it also agrees with the youths that since 2015 when Ortom came to office, he has been using one excuse or the other to shy away from his responsibilities of governing Benue State constructively, and this has retarded the development of the State.
In a related development, BMO has said that the reopening of the Bama-Banki-Cameroon road after nine years is positive proof of the successful handling of the war against insurgency by the military on the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The group's Chairman and Secretary, Niyi Akinsiju and Cassidy Madueke, said in a separate statement that it was a thing of joy that the 65-km road that was shut since 2012 at the height of Boko Haram atrocities is now open for human and vehicular traffic.
"We see the road reopening as a major milestone because it is one of the major roads linking North-East Nigeria to Cameroon, and by extension, other countries in the Central African region, but which had been shut for almost 10 years.
"It is a testament to the successful prosecution of the war against terrorists by a military that has been highly motivated since the advent of the Buhari administration.
"We recall how the entire area became desolate after Bama and Banki were invaded and captured by Boko Haram terrorists in 2012 and 2014 respectively, and the consequent devastation of a route that was quite crucial to economic activities between North-East Nigeria and Cameroon became inaccessible.
"We also acknowledge that the military has since recaptured the two towns, but it was only recently that normalcy returned to Banki with the resettlement of people displaced from the town which shares a border with Cameroon.
"In the course of unveiling the road at Banki Junction on the outskirts of Bama town, Governor Babagana Zulum appreciated the efforts of President Buhari for the gains being recorded in peace-building and stability of the North East region.
"We wholeheartedly agree with the Governor and commend the President for providing the enabling environment for the all-important road to be reopened".
BMO also hailed the Governor and the military authorities for the gradual return of normalcy to towns and villages that were once desolate.
"For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian military on President Buhari's watch has grown from a situation where soldiers struggled to stop Boko Haram from launching suicide bombs in Abuja, to a strong fighting force that has now pushed the insurgents to the fringes of the Lake Chad.
"This is as a result of new platforms acquired by the Buhari administration for the armed forces and which have so improved available firepower to the extent that over 12,000 Boko Haram fighters and their families have surrendered in the face of ongoing air and ground assault.
"It is therefore not a surprise that the Nigerian military is ranked 35 out of 140 countries on the Global military firepower index as of March 2021 even when it had not taken delivery of the 12 Super Tucano aircraft that has now been commissioned.
"We also believe that Governor Zulum deserves accolades for his rebuilding efforts as well as his confidence-building initiatives in the State.
"For us, Zulum remains a shining example for other Governors to emulate", the statement added.
The group noted that the reopening of the Bama-Banki-Cameroon road for commercial activities after nine years is a re-affirmation of the President's promise to ensure that the security challenges in the North East are brought to an end. NNL.
