Samuel Ortom
By Peter Duru – Makurdi
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has decried the state of all federal roads in the state lamenting that they had all become deplorable and unsafe for road users due to a long period of neglect.
He urged the All Progressives Congress, APC, led the federal government to justify and reciprocate the votes and support it got from the people during the general elections by giving a facelift to federal infrastructures in the state.
The Governor spoke Friday in Naka, Gwer West Local Government Area in a funeral oration at the burial ceremony of his deceased Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Elder Jerome Torshimbe who died about two weeks ago after a brief illness.
Ortom said, “APC, I am aware was voted here during the presidential election. The PDP defeated the APC with only 10,000 votes. So it shows that they got some support from the people.
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“So please I want to appeal to my National Assembly members to plead with Mr President and the Ministers to ensure that federal highways in Benue state are motorable because today they are not.
“You can imagine that we had to spend two hours from Makurdi to Naka today on a journey that should have lasted about 30 minutes but for the deplorable road.
“On our part, we have been making efforts to repair and construct the roads that are within our purview in the area, already we have constructed the road from Taraku to Naka.
“Also, we have constructed 23 bridges on the stretch of road from Naka to Agagbe and we are going beyond that. If not for the COVID-19 pandemic the contractor would have delivered the project.
“We, therefore, urge the federal government to complement what we are doing in the state by taking responsibility for federal roads and projects in the state.”
While eulogizing his late Adviser, the Governor described him as a close political associate, friend, and “a dedicated and loyal servant of the government who gave his all to his responsibilities.”
Earlier, the Senator representing Benue South district, Senator Abba Moro urged politicians to emulate the selfless lifestyle of the late Advised who he described as a detribalized and honest politician.
On his part, the paramount ruler of the area, Ter Tyoshin, Chief Daniel Abomtse while lamenting the death of Elder Torshimbe appealed to the government to step into the murder of elders of the area “on account of oracle consultation by youths which have sent over 30 persons to their early graves, spanning from 2012 to date.”
