By Peter Duru – Makurdi

In a bid to check the incursion of armed herdsmen from neighbouring Nasarawa state into its border communities in Guma Local Government Area, LGA of Benue state, the Benue Government has completed construction work on the 30 kilometers Gbajimba-Tse Ortom-Tse Upev-Tomatar-Ahentse-Tse Akaahena road.

Many communities lying on the expansive road had before now been hard hit by killer-herdsmen who normally run riot through the border areas.

Arewa Voice findings also indicated that most of the benefiting communities on the stretch of road which leads to Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa state are also being connected to electricity for the first time in the history of the state.

The extension of the electricity project, which is ongoing, runs from Gbajimba through Tse-Ortom, Tse-Upev, Tomatar, Ahentse and terminates at Tse-Akaahena in the same Guma LGA.

The project covers a distance of 30.4 kilometers with five substations dotting the stretch. At the moment work on two substations are almost completed and expected to be energised on or before December 20, 2021.

Arewa Voice understands that the government took the decision to embarked on the projects to open up the communities in order to improve security in the border areas.

An elated indigene of the area, Mr. Paul Kyungun told Arewa Voice that the projects had completely changed the lives of the people and the landscape of the benefiting communities.

He noted that the electricity project would lighten the communities particularly at nights when the marauders usually invade the villages and towns to perpetrate mindless attacks and killings.

Hear him: “For the first time in our history as indigenes of these communities our people will enjoy the use of a tarred road and electricity. The implication is that the socio-economic life of our people will change completely.

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Apart from improving the lives of the people and their wellbeing, the coming of these two projects would also help improve the overall security of our people and our communities.

“We all know that it is from the Nasarawa state axis that armed herdsmen unleash mayhem in our communities; but with these projects we can now heave a sigh of relief because wherever strange faces get into our villages at night the people would be able to identify them; and when there is a security breach, security personnel will easily access the affected community or communities as the case may be.

“So we thank and commend Governor Samuel Ortom and his administration for these important projects aimed at improving our security and wellbeing.”

On his part, the Kindred Head of Gbayange, Nzorov and Nongov communities in whose domain the projects are located, Zaki Emmanuel Atoka said the government’s decision to embark on the projects demonstrates the government’s concern for the well-being of the people.

He said, “the coming of electricity project to our communities for the first time in our history will help our children establish businesses and embark on money making ventures that will improve the economic life of our people.

“The tarred road would help us move our farm produce out of our villages to areas where they can be sold for good money and by so doing improve our livelihood. In fact the projects have changed our lives forever.

“So we are not only happy but thankful to this government of Governor Samuel Ortom for not only fulfilling its promises to the people through infrastructural development and ensuring the safety of lives and property but also ensuring that the people feel the impact of the government.

“Again most of us are rejoicing that in our time a tarred road has been constructed through our communities and electricity has also been brought to our people at this time in our history.”

Speaking on the scope of the rural electrification project, representative of the firm executing the job, Engineer Felix Ior, explained that the projects covers a span of about 30.4kilometers beginning from Gbajimba-Tse Ortom-Tse Upev-Tomatar-Ahentse-Tse Akaahena road and consists of five substations comprising two number 500KVA and three 300KVA.

“But we are doing it in phases. Work on the two substations has reached 90 percent completion stage.

“Our target is that the people should enjoy Christmas with electricity. So, we are planning to energize two substations on or before December 20.

“As you can see we are tidying the job to ensure that the date is realized. As for the remaining three substations we will commence work on them as soon as we energize the first two and in no time the work will be completed.”

Vanguard News Nigeria