Erstwhile Benue State governorship aspirant on the platform of the All-Progressives Congress (APC), Godwin Ityoachimin, has canvassed for urgent urban renewal of major cities in the state.
Ityoachimin, a retired Director from the Federal Ministry of Works, who is preparing to contest for governorship election again in 2027 in the state, said the “total lack of action” of the state government to engage in sustainable infrastructural development, which included urban renewal had made the state to be “embarrassingly’’ unattractive to the Organised Private Sector (OPS).
The APC Chieftain made the remarks during an interactive session with members of the Conference of Benue Journalists (CBJ) at the weekend in Abuja.
He said it was disheartening to see how the state government had glided over the genuine priority of upgrading the infrastructural development of major towns like Makurdi, Gboko and Otukpo among others.
“The direct interpretation of these cities’ imagery conveys squalor, filthiness, poverty and decay.
“By February, 2026, the state will be marking its Golden Jubilee and what you see does not reflect what should be. Should the people wait for eternity to test good life? The answer is no.
“In fact, the entire state needs urban regeneration and firm administration of land allocation and titles. This will help to attract private participation in the physical development of the state.
“This is just one aspect of the many development drives required to position the state for investment inflows and growth. The other key ones include intervention in Agriculture, Education, Skill Acquisition and Political Inclusiveness,’’ Tyoachimin said.
According to him, the state has for long jilted effective and efficient turnaround of all profitable value-chains in the Agric sector. He explained that a proper agri-business oriented mechanised farming practice must be introduce to fully maximise the state’s comparative advantage in the sector.
“This requires the state government buying off farm produce from the farmers and selling to industries through boards such that farmers will not lose. This will lead to the springing up of cottage processing industries and mechanised across all communities in the state.
The Estate Surveyor and Valuer, also decried the state’s lack of clear-cut strategic plans to address most of the challenges confronting the people.
He said education in the state required urgent intervention, adding that while other progressive states were aligning more with science education, Benue continued to promote Philosophy, Sociology, Anthropology and such other courses that would not support growth and development in the 21th century.
He stated that it was about time the state promoted science and technology education in the state for transformation, adding that “our young people have the natural capacity to excel in anything they chose to do’’.
“Everyone is taken aback as no consideration is given to prepare these young people for the future that shall be controlled by Artificial Intelligence (AI),’’he said.
Ityoachimin stressed that Benue had talented people whose ingenuity could be easily harnessed for the growth of the state.
On investment, the former governorship aspirant queried the approach of the government in promoting commerce, trade and industry, adding that the absence of a Chamber of Commerce and the Free Trade Zone in the state was worrisome.
“One can not really explain what has prevented the state from activating the Federal Government approval for the Makurdi Free Trade Zone. The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) is willing to guide the state through this process but the willingness is not there’’, he said.
On insecurity, the 2023 governorship aspirant said the Federal Government must come to terms that the advantages associated with approving state police outweighed the disadvantages, adding that until the state police structure was approved the insecurity in the state and across the country shall persist.
The Vandeykiya-born politician also emphasized the need for inclusive governance to accommodate the diverse ethnic groups in the state, adding that all peoples of the state had equal stake in Benue landscape.
