The just-concluded thank-you tour and town hall meetings of Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia across the Benue South Senatorial District provided residents, traditional leaders and stakeholders with a clearer picture of development interventions across the nine local government areas of Zone C.
The tour took the Governor and his team through Apa, Agatu, Otukpo, Ohimini, Okpokwu, Ogbadibo, Obi, Oju and Ado, offering direct interaction with the people while highlighting ongoing and completed physical projects. Beyond political arguments, the visible projects across the zone serve as tangible reference points for assessing the administration’s performance in road construction, healthcare, water supply, education, rural access, street lighting, industrial development and township roads.
One of the most prominent areas of intervention is road infrastructure. The 52-kilometre Oju–Awajir Road, connecting Oju, Konshisha and Gwer East at an estimated cost of ₦25.59 billion, had approximately 19 kilometres asphalted at the time of the tour, with earthworks ongoing on about 30 kilometres and completion projected within six to seven months. In Ado Local Government Area, the 31.36-kilometre Igumale–Agila Road, valued at approximately ₦19.37 billion, is undergoing active reconstruction. The Oju–Obi–Otukpo Road, being executed by China Harbour Engineering Company, has also commenced, while construction continues on the Agatu–Agagbe Road valued at about ₦29.89 billion.
Several community and rural roads form part of the development footprint, including the Eke–Akpa and Ameojo roads in Okpokwu, Ikumeja Road in Okpokwu, Adum East Road in Obi, Igwu–Ako Road in Ogbadibo, and the Otukpa and Olachagbaha roads in Ogbadibo. Across the nine local government areas, a five-kilometre road project has been awarded in each LGA, contributing to a broader portfolio of more than 185 projects documented in Zone C. Work is ongoing on the five-kilometre township road in Otukpo, while the administration facilitated the payment of compensation to affected residents along the Makurdi–Ninth Mile Federal Road.
Under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Oju Local Government Area was selected as a pilot location for a 26-kilometre spot-improvement road covering the Ojegba–Ukpila–Ilega–Oboro Oho Market Square route, with a spur linking to the Ukpila–Ohuhu–Owo Federal Road junction. The intervention is expected to improve the movement of agricultural produce from farms to markets.
Water infrastructure has also featured prominently. The administration’s payment of approximately ₦1 billion in counterpart funding for ACReSAL projects helped unlock water interventions across the state, providing improved storage facilities to communities that previously faced serious shortages. In Otukpo, the Great Otukpo Water Project has completed its reticulation component, while the Otobi Waterworks has been rehabilitated and is operating at full capacity.
Healthcare infrastructure received considerable attention, with a total of 25 primary healthcare centres constructed or renovated across the zone. A separate tender covers the upgrading of 19 public health centres in Okpokwu, Obi, Oju and Ado LGAs. These interventions aim to improve primary healthcare infrastructure and bring essential services closer to residents, particularly in rural communities.
In education, 29 schools across Zone C have benefited from infrastructural interventions through SUBEB, including the construction of storey buildings in government-owned primary schools. Another five schools were selected under the 2025 Matching Grant Programme. In Ado Local Government Area, Government College Utonkon has been converted into Government Technical College Utonkon to strengthen technical and vocational education.
On security, the Governor’s engagement with the people of Zone C included approval for the establishment of army barracks in two locations within the senatorial district, a development expected to strengthen security presence and contribute to the protection of communities, farmlands, roads and economic assets.
Employment and human capital development also featured during the engagements. Commitments include the recruitment of qualified teachers from Zone C, which would create job opportunities and strengthen manpower in schools. The Governor also received calls for the reinstatement of retrenched local government staff disengaged during the previous administration.
Looking ahead, the administration has proposed the establishment of a Food City in Zone C to serve as a platform for agricultural aggregation, food processing, storage, marketing and distribution. The ongoing effort to revive the Igumale Cement Factory in Ado Local Government Area is another initiative with potentially significant economic implications for the zone. A broader commitment to five-kilometre township roads across all nine local government areas of Zone C is also part of the emerging development agenda.
The just-concluded thank-you tour has served a dual purpose: an opportunity for the Governor to appreciate the people of Zone C for their support and an opportunity for residents to see and assess the physical development footprint of the administration. The emerging picture is that of a zone witnessing interventions across multiple sectors, with several projects already completed, others under construction, and additional commitments awaiting implementation. For Benue South, the real test going forward will be sustained implementation so that completed projects ultimately translate into improved living conditions, stronger economic opportunities and a better quality of life for the people.
