Gov. Alia woos investors to Benue, as Media Executives hail remarkable development
Senior media executives from across Nigeria have hailed the scale of development and infrastructural renewal taking place in Benue State under the administration of Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia, describing the transformation as both impressive and reassuring.
The media leaders were in the state on a two-day media tour of key legacy projects executed by the Alia administration. The delegation was led by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, and included the President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors and Editor-in-Chief of Vanguard, Mr. Eze Anaba; Senior Vice Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Leadership, Mr. Azubuike Ishiekwene; Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of Daily Independent, Mr. Steve Omanufeme; and Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, among others.
The tour which culminated in a town hall meeting held at the New Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi, on Friday 23rd January, 2026, attracted a wide range of stakeholders including traditional rulers, women and youth groups, labour unions, civil society organisations, religious leaders, and members of the presidential media team.
Speaking at the event, Governor Alia called on local and international investors to take advantage of his administration’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) policy, assuring that the policy framework would remain flexible, investor-friendly and affordable to stimulate economic growth and boost the state’s Internally Generated Revenue.
The Governor highlighted key achievements of his administration over the past two and a half years, including the repositioning of the education sector through the construction of modern public primary schools and recruitment of over 9,000 teachers; the revitalisation of the health sector with the renovation and construction of more than 290 Primary Health Care Centres across the state; installation of state-of-the-art equipment at the Father Adasu University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi; extensive road construction; and the establishment of industries aimed at job creation.
Governor Alia further noted that improved collaboration with federal security agencies has led to relative peace across the state, expressing optimism that the media tour would help project the true situation of Benue to the outside world and correct misconceptions, particularly regarding security. He also invited the media executives to join the government and people of Benue in celebrating the state’s 50th anniversary next month.
In his remarks, Mr. Bayo Onanuga commended Governor Alia for introducing a governance model that goes beyond road construction to focus on industrialisation and economic expansion. He urged the Governor to sustain the industrial drive and consider involving private investors in the management of state-owned enterprises to ensure long-term sustainability.
Also speaking, President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors and Editor-in-Chief of Vanguard Mr. Eze Anaba, said the projects inspected had demonstrated the Governor’s commitment to serving the people, advising him to deepen collaboration with the Federal Government to further address security challenges in the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dr. Peter Egbodo, described the media tour as a demonstration of democratic accountability, noting that the Alia administration is not only transforming infrastructure but also directly improving the lives of citizens.
Traditional rulers also lent their voices, with the Tor Jechira, His Loyal Highness Engineer Edward Ujege, expressing satisfaction with the Governor’s performance across critical sectors of the economy. He praised interventions in education, water supply, electricity, and overall rural development, assuring that traditional institutions would continue to support the administration’s development agenda.
Various groups at the occasion through their representatives also shared testimonies on how Governor Hyacinth Alia led administration’s calculated interventions are positively impacting lives and communities.
During interactions, the media executives expressed surprise at the level of transformation witnessed across the state, noting a clear contrast between their on-the-ground observations and some prevailing narratives about Benue State.
The town hall meeting marked the conclusion of the two-day media tour, during which several of the visiting media executives were adorned in Tiv, Idoma and Igede traditional attires, symbolising cultural unity and appreciation of Benue State.
