Gov. Gabriel Suswam of Benue state in central Nigeria said arrangements had been concluded to create 12 additional local government councils in the state in order to stimulate grassroots development.

Suswam who spoke on Saturday in Vandeikya Local Government Area, during the flag-off of the state’s free medical services, said the seven-man committee charged with the responsibility would soon be inaugurated. 

Suswam explained that the creation of additional 12 local government councils from the 23 existing ones would not be based on family lineage and development associations.

He advised the people of the state not to base their agitations for new councils on such sentiments.

The new local government to be created would be viable and feasible because it had been done in other states, he said.

On the free medical services, he explained that the scheme was in tandem with his economic blueprint of providing a healthy and prosperous society.

According to him, Benue had not recorded any case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and assured the people that proactive measures were taken to prevent its outbreak.

The governor said the state Ministry of Health had already trained teachers on how to handle possible Ebola cases.Dr Terver Tule, the Executive Secretary, Benue Hospitals Management Board, who also spoke, said 81 people had benefitted from free surgical operations, while many patients were treated for different ailments.