By Terdue Atondu, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has called on stakeholders participating in the Benue 2035 Economic Transformation, Capital Formation and Prosperity Summit to set aside political differences and focus on the long-term development of the state.
Governor Alia made the call on Monday while declaring open the three-day summit in Makurdi, stressing that although politics was inevitable in a democratic society, the future and prosperity of Benue should take precedence over electoral considerations.
“There will be politics outside this room; that is natural in a democracy. But inside this room, our assignment is Benue,” the governor declared.
He noted that while the next election was important, the future of the state was far more significant, insisting that whatever was built in Benue must transcend election cycles, administrations and individuals.
“Whatever we build must extend beyond an election cycle, beyond an administration and beyond any one individual,” Alia said.
The governor said he remained confident in the intelligence, resilience, creativity and determination of the people of Benue, stressing that the state’s human and natural resources were sufficient to create lasting prosperity.
According to him, however, belief and potential alone could not transform society, noting that potential must be converted into opportunities, investment and productive activities capable of creating jobs, incomes and improved living standards.
“Ultimately, government exists for the people. Our responsibility as a government is to protect the people and provide the conditions in which they can prosper,” he said.
Alia explained that protecting the people meant ensuring that farmers could access their farms without fear, families could live securely in their communities and businesses could operate with confidence that their investments, properties and employees were safe.
He added that government must create an environment characterised by security, infrastructure, quality education, accessible healthcare, productive employment, investment, strong institutions and an economy where hard work and innovation could translate into improved livelihoods.
The governor, who noted that his administration was now in its fourth year, said the summit provided an opportunity to determine the platform that would take Benue from its present position to the society it aspired to become.
“We have governed. We have learned. We have made difficult decisions. We have begun important works. And, as we look ahead, we must confront a fundamental question: What platform will take Benue from where we are today to the society we desire to become?” he asked.
Alia described the Benue 2035 Summit as more than another conference, saying it was designed to move the state from “potential to prosperity” through practical decisions, executable strategies and clearly defined investment priorities.
He said participants were invited not because of the offices they occupied but because of their knowledge, experience, perspectives and ability to contribute meaningfully to the future of the state.
According to him, the philosophy of the summit was based on collaboration, with the best ideas expected to emerge through collective engagement rather than hierarchy.
“For these two days, therefore, I ask you to work. Think boldly. Challenge assumptions. Disagree respectfully. Listen carefully. Learn from what has worked elsewhere and, most importantly, determine what can work here in Benue State,” he said.
The governor urged participants to focus on measurable results and implementable guidelines rather than producing another report that would eventually gather dust on a shelf.
He also advised them not to reopen decisions already taken by government on issues such as development, private capital mobilisation, modernisation of government, job creation, security and expansion of the productive economy.
“The direction is set. Your responsibility is to help us determine how we can go farther, faster and better,” Alia said.
He urged stakeholders to identify gaps, challenge weak assumptions, develop practical solutions and provide clear guidance on how such solutions could be implemented.
The governor listed the key areas for consideration at the summit as governance and execution; security and justice; capital formation and fiscal sustainability; economic development and investment; agriculture and rural prosperity; infrastructure, power and logistics; human capital development; technology and artificial intelligence; and productivity and citizen experience.
He stressed that the areas were interconnected and should not be treated in isolation.
“Agriculture cannot thrive without security.
Investment cannot flourish without confidence. Businesses cannot become productive without infrastructure and reliable power. Human capital cannot reach its full potential without quality education and opportunity,” he said.
Alia further called for an honest assessment of the state’s challenges and opportunities, urging participants to give the government what Benue needed rather than what they thought the governor wanted to hear.
“Do not give me what you think I want to hear as a Governor. Give Benue what Benue needs to know,” he said.
He said every proposal emerging from the summit should be tested against two fundamental questions: whether it would protect the people and whether it would provide them with a genuine pathway to a better life.
The governor disclosed that the summit would culminate on Wednesday with executive review, strategic alignment and approval, describing the process as a journey “from ideas to choices, from choices to action, and from action to measurable results.”
“We are not merely designing programmes for today. We are designing a platform for the continuing development, transformation and elevation of Benue State,” Alia maintained.
Earlier, the Group Managing Director of the Benue State Investment and Property Company (BIPC), Dr. Raymond Asemakaha, said the organisation was honoured to host the Swift Alignment of Strategic Imperatives (SASI) Summit in partnership with Hudson Global.
Asemakaha said the gathering represented more than a programme, describing it as a commitment to building a better future for Benue.
He said the summit brought together people from different institutions and backgrounds because the future of the state belonged to everyone.
“At the directive of His Excellency, we deliberately opened these doors wide. We invited voices from different backgrounds, different institutions and different perspectives — because the future of Benue belongs to all of us,” he said.
Asemakaha urged participants to set aside titles and engage honestly, learn from one another, think boldly and agree on practical ways to build the Benue they desired.
He, however, drew attention to the growing number of graduates entering the labour market and the need for the state’s economy to expand rapidly enough to absorb them.
“In 2024, our tertiary institutions produced 14,802 graduates. In 2025, that number rose to 16,200. And the numbers will continue to rise,” he said.
The BIPC GMD further noted that Benue had a population of about 7.3 million people, an annual population growth rate of 2.4 per cent and more than 34,000 square kilometres of largely underutilised land.
He argued that the state’s economic output must grow faster than its population, describing this as the only sustainable path to prosperity.
Asemakaha thanked participants for accepting the invitation to the summit despite their busy schedules, saying their presence demonstrated their belief in the future of Benue.
“Your being here says one thing — I believe in Benue,” he maintained.
