Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State

By By George Udoh/Makurdi

Since assumption of office 29 May, 2015, Governor Governor Samuel Ioraer Ortom of Benue State has surprised critics. Apart from delivering on his mandate, he has gone a step further by daring to do what others could not. He is the first to have taken the bull by the horn, by signing into Law the Anti Open Grazing Prohibition and Establishment of Ranches.

Ortom ’s achievements as a bridge-builder may not be unconnected with his posture as a moderate who has discarded the toga of hardliner and clothed himself with the garment of social pragmatism which has manifested in his desire and commitment to take Benue State to the desired heights

The leadership style of Governor Ortom is motivational, coupled with his accommodating personality and humility. He is a man who is ready to listen and act on matters concerning the people of the state, irrespective of their political leanings . He associates with the high and the low. He is always ready to attend to the needs of whoever comes his way and he makes himself accessible to the people of the state.

Since Governor Ortom mounted the saddle as the Servant –Leader of the food Basket of the Nation, he has never hidden his resolved to tenaciously adhere to the social contract he entered into with the people of Benue State. No wonder, after two and half years in office as Governor of Benue State , Ortom once again brought to bear his visionary and exemplary leadership qualities with the passage of the Anti Open Grazing Prohibition and Establishment of Ranches Law 2017, whose drum beat is still resounding and reverberating by the day even as year 2017 is gradually coming to an end .

Before the enactment of this widely celebrated law , those gifted with hindsight of reckoning would recall that Benue State like other Middle Belt States has since 2012 been experiencing annual waves of attacks from unidentified Fulani herdsmen. These unprovoked attacks paralysed economic activities, particularly farming activities’ were mainly grounded. In fact, 14 out of the 23 local government areas of the State came under siege of the dreaded Fulani herdsmen as the people of the affected areas lived in perpetual fear and trauma of attacks.

File photo: A herds boy fully armed

Thousands of people were displaced from their ancestral homes as a result of the upshot of the unabated attacks .Efforts to find a lasting solutions to these throes of unrelenting attacks were not yielding the desired results.

Having looked back and diagnosed accurately, Governor Ortom took a practical step to bring to an end the preventable conflict between indigenous farmers and strange herdsmen . Consequently, he forwarded a bill for the Introduction of Anti Open Grazing and Establishment of Ranches bill to the State House of Assembly. The State House Of Assembly which, without waste of time, deliberated on the matter, including holding public hearings in the three senatorial districts , and concluded on a widely acceptable draft bill that was passed into Law on Thursday, 4 May 2017 and on Monday, 22 May 22, Governor Samuel Ortom made history when he signed into law the Anti Open Grazing and Prohibition and Establishment of Ranches Law 2017.

The main objectives of the law are to prevent the destruction of crop farms , community ponds , settlement and prevent clashes between nomadic livestock herders and crop farmers , protect the environmental degradation and pollution caused by open rearing and over grazing of livestock, optimise the use of land resources in the face of overstretched land and increasing population, prevent control and manage the spread of diseases as well as ease the implementation of policies that enhance the production of high quality and healthy livestock for local and international markets , create a conducive environment for large scale crop production .

In his resolve and determination to make the law work, Ortom gave the new law a human face when he allocated a period of five months grace to both associates and antagonists of the law to study and comprehend the repercussion of non –adherence to the law .

Since the enactment of this law , prominent Nigerians within and outside the State have been pouring encomiums on Governor Samuel for this courageous and bold initiative. These include former President Olusegun Obasanjo , the ,National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev (Dr) Olasupo Ayokunle, Co-Chairmen , Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace, IDFP, Bishop Sunday Onuoha and Alhaji Ishaq Kunle Sanni, and The Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Jalingo, His Lordship, Most Reverend Charles Hammawa among others. They all described the enactment of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law in Benue State as a welcome development that will not only bring peace to the state but has also become a reference point across the country. Already, Benue State example has snowballed to Taraba State , which is in an advanced stage of a similar law. In fact, 10 other states including Plateau, are tinkering with this noble idea.

Governor Ortom name will not only remain evergreen in the annals of history of Benue inparticular , but in Nigeria as whole.

Before, he became the Governor of Benue State in 2015 , Governor Ortom meritoriously served the people of Guma LGA as The Executive Chairman of the Council from 1991 to 1993 on the platform of the Social Democratic Party, SDP . His enviable records as Council Chairman has gone down in history and also set a potent paradigm for politicians everywhere.

Otrom ’s indelible marks since he assumed office as Governor covers a wide range of sectors that include infrastructure, education , security , health , agriculture , rural and urban development and economic development , poverty alleviation ,health education, and , women’s and youth empowerment,, sport among others.

Rural Area Transformation is one of the key sector where Benue has relative advantage over other states in Nigeria. A visit to the state would convince all that Ortom is indeed moving in the right direction. A cursory look of the state government in on going and completed project is a clear assertion that Governor Ortom is not given to frivolities. The ongoing and completed projects in his quest for Rural Transformation include Construction of Mbaakon-Mede Ihugh feeder road with a spur from Mede to Warishu stream and Moji AchtrKima Village in Vandeikya LGA; construction of Gbishe-Mbakyer feeder road, 10km long in Katsina- Ala LGA; construction of Igbughul AbedaTse-Girgir Kumelkpa Malu Ayilarno-Anyibe feeder road 15km in Logo LGA.

There are also construction of Howe-Kinga-Tse-Akeshi- Tse-Gabu-Shawa feeder road in Gwer East LGA. Construction of Mase-Shanna- Hunde-Paka-TseAku feeder road, 25km long in Gwer East LGA. Construction of Igumale-Ulayi- Ijigban feeder road, 10km long in AdoLGA. Construction of 2 span reinforced concrete bridge across Kontien stream on Mkar-Tse-Nyajo- Achongo-Mkovurfeeder road in GbokoLGA, Construction of 3 span reinforced concrete bridge across Ambighir stream on Mkar-Tse-Nyajo- Achongo-Mkovur feeder road in GbokoLGA Construction of 3 span reinforced concrete bridge across Ambighir stream on Howe-Kinga- TseAkeshi- Tse-GabuShawa feeder road in Gwer East LGA.

Others are construction of three span reinforced concrete bridge across Ulobo stream on Howe-Kinga- TseAkeshi- Tse-GabuShawa feeder road in Gwer East LGA. Construction of Odugbo-Opaha- Umogidi-Adoka feeder road in ApaLGA. Others are the Construction of a 2 span reinforced concrete bridge across Okpokwu stream at Odugbo on Adoka – Umogidi-Opaha-Odugbo- Ikobi feeder road in Apa LGA.Civil Engineering Survey and design of Gbajimba – Tse-Upev-Tse-Akaahena-Nassarawa border highway in Gurna LGA Rehabilitation and spot laterating ofUmenger-Aninge-Keana road in Guma LGA. awarded to Ava-Mor Nig. Ltd., Makurdi, 40% completed. Contract sum N48,864,028.73 Construction of Tse-Abi-Ginde- Unzugh ul- Pevi-Abra Gyam- Agenke-Tomatar-Shishi-Tse- Hyom feeder road in Guma LGA.

Governor Ortom’s success story and renewed drive to give the Rural Area a facelift is not about road Construction alone. His dynamic and people oriented administration has also given considerable attention to rural electrificatyion projects and these include the extension of electricity from Ajio to Kpengwa village Shangev- Ya in KwandeLGA, completion of Ngobua Electricity Project in Katsina-Ala LGA, electrification of Gyenku and Vaase villages in Ukum LGA, electrification of Adikpo- Mbaiwen village in Kwande LG, electrification of Ageba and Shawa villages near Taraku in Gwer East, electrification of Pika settlement area, Mbatiav, Gboko LGA, electrification of Gwarche/Kontien village in TarkaLGA, extension of electricity from Aondona Market to Tse-Aondona- Tse-Anagbe – Tse – Waku in Gwer West LGA, electrification of Ako Upev and Akaahena villages in Guma LGA, extension of electricity from Ojegbe to Uje and Utunche villages in Oju LGA, extension of electricity to Opaha, Odugbo and Ebugodo villages in ApaLGA, extension of electricity from Oshigbud EnicheOgwule – Anyeneche villages in Agatu LG Rural, electrification of Ibila Lukpo-Andibilla villages in Oju LGA, extensions of electricity from Akaajime to Takema Memorial College Ipav in Gboko LGA, extension of electricity from Ushongo town to Mbagba community, Kpor village in Ushongo LGA, extension of electricity from Austoma near Aliade to Jiwundu to Uturugh villages in Gwer East LGA, extension of electricity from Ushongo town Manor – Abado – Hiitom – Sati Ikov – Ude in Ushongo LGA