government of Benue declares an infrastructure emergency

The Benue State Executive Council has ordered the dismantling of all illegal structures, including those on waterways, and declared a state of emergency regarding the state’s infrastructure.

The State’s Executive Council on Wednesday expressed regret at the collapse of a church building in the state capital and the subsequent death of a pastor, according to the Commissioner for Works and Housing, Tiza Imojime.

He claimed that the Council had decided to order the demolition of all buildings constructed on waterways and within the state that failed the structural integrity test in order to protect people and property.

Tersoo Kula, the governor’s chief press secretary, said in a statement: “The EXCO found that all structures in the state that fail structural and integrity tests, as well as those on waterways, should be demolished.

The Commissioner continued, “The exco also directed the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals to conduct an integrity test on the collapsed church building with the aim of ascertaining the cause of the collapse to enable the government to make an informed decision.”

According to the Commissioner, the executive also instructed Benue youths to take advantage of the chance to be recorded in the Ministry of Youths, Sports, and Creativity’s database for good planning.

The Council urged the people of Benue to embrace agriculture in order to take advantage of the favourable environment that Governor Hyacinth Alia’s government has already established.

The Commissioner stated that measures were in place to address the general state of the state’s infrastructures, adding, “I have started an examination of the state’s road infrastructures to get first-hand knowledge on their status. Federal roadways throughout the state have also been evaluated, and steps are being made to contact the appropriate federal entities so they can take action, he added.