Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue has informed the people that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo assured him that despite the burning of his farm in Howe, Gwer Local Government Area (LGA) of the State he was not moving it to another place.
Ortom disclosed this on Thursday during a Church Service to celebrate the state at 46 years in Makurdi.
He further disclosed that Obasanjo had the intention to build a factory that would be processing the mangoes in the same place where the farm was situated.
“The mangoes will not be taken to any other place for processing but will be processed in that same place,” Ortom said.
He lamented that the people working in the farm would be thrown back to the already saturated labour market.
“The farm has 143 employees and 140 of them are indigenes of Gwer LGA of the state,” he said.
He described the burning of the farm as a barbaric act which was highly condemnable, disclosing that three of the perpetrators were already apprehended while some were at large.
He said that even the roads that were just approved for construction would be commissioned before he would exit office.
He also said that it was his desire that the person that would take over from him should surpass him.
In his goodwill message, the Speaker, Benue Assembly, Mr Titus Uba said that the assembly was committed to churning out quality legislation that could usher in development in the State.
Represented by Mr Terkaa Ucha, Uba said that they were determined to make laws that would prosper and bring peace to the state.
The Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse corroborated Ortom that the burning of the farm was a shame not only to Benue people but to the entire country.
Ayatse who was represented by Tor Lobi, Chief Moses Anagende, urged security agencies to fish out the criminals and deal with them decisively.
