The Government of Benue State has secured and commenced the deployment of a N93 billion bond for the digitalization of governance, enhancing the management the economy, as well as the digitalization of security issues in the state. It has therefore established the Benue State Digital Infrastructure Company Plc, to manage security information, which is among one of the 48 branches of the company.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, who disclosed this on the occasion of the first Benue State Digital Security town hall meeting, held at Royal choice hotel, Makurdi on Tuesday, also stated that Benue intends to digitalize security issues in the state.
Represented at the occasion by the Deputy Governor, Barr Sam Ode, the governor noted that the good news was that the state was expecting a projected revenue inflow of about N158 billion annually, which would translate to over N1 trillion in the next 10 years.
According to him, a large chunk of the money would be channelled to tackling insecurity, adding that on assumption of office the security situation was so bad that the Alia administration had to overhaul the security architecture of the state to check issues of incessant killings in the state.
The Governor said, “On assumption of office, we met a very terrible security situation; people were maimed, property in billions destroyed and the governor of Benue state said the situation was not acceptable. Therefore, we sat down and redesigned the security architecture of the state.
“Then the Governor appointed two Security Advisers and two weeks ago he appointed a Director General (DG), for Homeland Security. All of this is to underscore the seriousness we attach to security issues in Benue.
“All over the world governments are beginning to engage with communities. We are talking to people we lead. Government believes strongly that except where it is necessary, the kinetic approach should not be deployed. This (town hall meeting) is one of those non kinetic platforms to engage with the people of the communities who are affected.”
Furthermore, he said, “The Benue State Executive Council on the 3rd of May, 2024, approved the establishment of Benue State Digital Infrastructure Company Plc, to manage security information. It is one of the 48 branches of the company, designed to digitize governance, enhance the management of our economy and our security among other services.
“Government has secured a bond of about N93 billion and it is already deploying the N93 billion to digital infrastructure in the state. The good news is that we have a projected revenue inflow of about N158 billion annually for the next 10 years, which will be over N1 trillion.
“For instance, in the management of our health systems; you know you get to the hospital, you pay money for the cards. Whatever we do is going to be digital so government is not going to lose revenue in any way. We are going to eliminate all the leakages and loopholes through which government revenue was being taken away by unscrupulous elements.
“Benue is ready for a change and you can see a clear manifestation of that change in security, in infrastructure, in all sectors of our governance and economy and so I charge the Security Advisers and other security agencies that we need to have this kind of town hall meeting at least on a quarterly basis, so that we can continue to engage and train those who are supposed to be in the frontline of managing our security”, he stated.
In his presentation at the event, Joseph Har, Special Adviser to the Governor on Internal Security, noted that the meeting was put together on the directive of the Governor to interact with security agencies in the state as well as members of the public as a way of identifying and addressing issues of insecurity in Benue.
He lamented that the renumeration of security agents across the country was nothing to go by, even as he expressed dissatisfaction with the dressing of most of the security agents, an attitude which he said need to be addressed.
While he described the works of security agents as a thankless job, he stressed the need for security agencies to have a cordial working relationship with the civilian populace.
Also he argued that the security personnel would have no job without the civilian populace, even as he pointed out that without security agents the people would not have the desired peace in the society.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on External Security, Lt Col Alex Igbaya Ashungu rtd, said, that the issue of drug abuse has led to increase in insecurity, adding the teens were not left out.
While he noted that security agencies in the state were working round the clock to ensure that the people slept with their two eyes closed, he cautioned youths in the state not to be deceived into embarking of the planned nationwide protests.
Also speaking at the occasion, Gloria Bai, State Commander, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), appealed to those in the transportation business among them, okada riders and owners of Keke NAPEP to work with security agencies in order to curtail issues of human trafficking.
She observed that most of the trafficking was carried out with the aide of transporters who convey the victims that are trafficked from one point to another.
Bai, who said that the 30th of July, (that’s is Tuesday) annually was a day that was set aside as the World Day Against Human Trafficking, therefore there was the need to kick out issues associated with trafficking in persons.
In her contribution, the Deputy Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), noted that issues related to drug abuse, especially cannabis sativa, abound in the state and is produced in abundance in almost all the local government areas.
Even she observed that the bulk of the substance produced were sold outside the state, saying that a lot of it was retained for consumption, which is at a very high level in the state.
She lamented that under the influence of the drugs, users engage in robbery and rape, among other criminal activities.
In his vote of thanks, the Director General (DG), Air Commodore Jacob Gbamwuan rtd, who appreciated the Governor for making available resources for the event noted that the presence of the Deputy Governor, Barr Sam Ode has served as a motivation to participants.
He advised the youth in Benue to keep away from crime, even as he charged them to keep their eyes peeled and report any suspicious movement around their areas.
The meeting which was organized by the Office of the Special Advisers to the Governor on Internal Security and that of External Security, in collaboration with the Ministries of Information, ICT and Justice, was attended by all heads of security agencies; military and paramilitary in the state.