I’ll work with traditional rulers to grow Benue – Chille Igbawua

The immediate past Chief Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Honourable Chille Igbawua, has assured that his administration will strengthen the traditional institutions through budgetary provisions that would eliminate financial encumbrances to allow them to respond promptly to situations related to their constitutionally mandated duties, if elected governor in 2023. In a statement by Andrew Oota, […]

The immediate past Chief Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Honourable Chille Igbawua, has assured that his administration will strengthen the traditional institutions through budgetary provisions that would eliminate financial encumbrances to allow them to respond promptly to situations related to their constitutionally mandated duties, if elected governor in 2023.

In a statement by Andrew Oota, the media coordinator of his campaign, on Thursday, Igbuwua, made the pledge when he addressed the Tor Kwande, Tor Sankara and Tor Jechira, Chief Ambros Pine Iotyegh, Chief Abu King-Shuluwa and Chief Clement Uganden with their cabinet members respectively with the reassurances that the partnerships will save the state more money for other critical sectors, if elected.

Igbawua who is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, and also the immediate past West African Coordinator of Ombudsman and Director at the International Ombudsmen Institute, Vienna, Austria also said that his administration will foster greater partnership with development partners to elevate the standard of living of Benue people, particularly in the areas of environmental sanitation for the good and health of the people.

According to the statement, Hon. Igbawua believes that the traditional institutions will be charged with enormous constitutional responsibilities that will require a constitutionally guaranteed financial pool from which they tap to take care of emergencies, especially security-related issues that require immediate and prompt actions.

The former permanent secretary in the state’s Ministry of Finance said that he will deploy his state, national and international exposure to address the yearnings and aspirations of the Benue people, particularly the challenges of insecurity, mechanized agriculture, foreign trade investments as well as industrialisation through the cooperatives and the Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) patterns.

“My policy will be to restructure the settlement patterns by creating border settlement-towns in Benue State to ward of external attacks and pave the way for developments, reserve vast lands for mechanized agriculture and in-turn promote all-season farming that would feed the small industries with raw-materials as well as foreign trade,” he said.

He also said that Governor Ortom’s vow to speak for the people of Benue State against senseless attacks and insistence that everyone within the state must obey the anti-open grazing law must be commended and supported and that his administration will ensure more tough legislation, insisting that the interest, protection and well-being of the Benue people must be paramount.

In his response, the Tor Kwande expressed happiness that Hon. Igbawua has no record of inefficiency and criminal behaviour in the state, national and international, and that the promise to restructure the settlement pattern of the Benue people stands among his other well-intentions.

The Royal Father expressed delight that his council members have all give good accounts and testimonies about the aspirant, adding that his international exposure will have a positive influence on his administration, if elected Governor and offered royal blessings on the aspirant.