THE CHAIRMAN, Guma LGA of Benue, Mr Maurice Orwough, has donated 51 motorcycles to kindred heads to enhance grassroots security and administration.
Orwough told newsmen on Wednesday in Guma during the presentation that the gesture was aimed at improving the traditional leaders to respond swiftly to security challenges in their communities.
He said that the kindred heads were directly connected to the grassroots and often served as the first point of contact during emergencies.
“I decided to ease their movement by giving them these vehicles.
“I have done this so that whenever we call on them or there is a crisis in the rural areas they can move in fast and help to quench the fire before the government gets there,” he said.
The chairman said that the donation formed part of his administration’s broader efforts to strengthen security and restore peace across the 10 council wards.
He said that about 80 per cent of residents displaced by insecurity had returned to their ancestral homes and resumed farming fully.
“When I came into office, the challenge of insecurity was 100 per cent in the local government area.
“Today, about 80 per cent of what we met has been restored and we have relative peace in the council,” Orwough said.
According to him, the council has also donated about 30 motorcycles to security agencies, vigilante groups and hunters, while providing vehicles and repairing old vehicles to support security operations.
“As we speak to you, about 80 per cent of the houses that were vacated or whose occupants were displaced have already returned to their homes and are farming effectively,” he said.
Orwough said that the council had constructed five bridges, eight boreholes and about five kilometres of roads as part of efforts to improve infrastructure and reconnecting communities.
He listed bridges along the Daudu-Ukpam-Gbajimba road, Ngban and Udei road project, hospitals among others as some of the projects.
The chairman added that the council renovated Daudu Police Division after which it was upgraded into an Area Command to improve the operational capacity of security personnel.
He said the council secretariat and other administrative facilities were also being renovated to restore efficiency in grassroots administration.
“If the system is not working, the people will not be close to the grassroots. So, I tried to see what I could do to restore the administrative system,” he said.
Orwough added that his administration had provided motorcycles and other vehicles to councilors and other council officials, while additional official vehicles would be distributed to supervisors, advisers and other key officials.
He said that the council had also supported residents through payment of hospital bills, and award of scholarships.
On security collaboration with neighbouring local governments in Nasarawa State, Orwough said he had engaged the chairmen and traditional rulers of Awe, Doma and Keana to strengthen cooperation against insecurity.
He said that Guma shared borders with the three local government areas, making cross-border collaboration critical to addressing security challenges.
“I have visited the chairman of Awe twice, Doma twice and Keana three times, and I have also engaged their traditional rulers.
“The chairmen of Awe and Doma have been cooperating with me, but we are having difficulties with Keana,” he said.
Orwough, however, expressed optimism that continued engagement would help address the challenges.
He said his administration was determined to leave a lasting legacy through improved security, infrastructure and grassroots development.
“I want to make a difference. I told the people that when I come into office and when I leave, it will be difficult for another chairman to cope with the achievements I will make,” he said.
Orwough said the achievements recorded so far were only the beginning of what his administration intended to accomplish in Guma.
“I am just delivering what I promised the people of the local government. What you have seen today is just the beginning of what I intend to do for the people,” he said. (NAN)
