Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has disclosed that his administration was facing resistance from influential interests benefiting from the ‘old status quo’ as it implements reforms and infrastructure projects across the state.
Alia said the resistance had prompted his administration to embark on a 30-year master development plan designed to ensure that the state’s ongoing reforms continued beyond his tenure and were not affected by changes in leadership.
He made the remarks on Friday at a media parley at the Government House in Makurdi to mark the conclusion of a three-day nationwide media tour of federal and state infrastructure projects led by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Revealing the resistance his reforms have generated, the governor said, “Reforms present a pushback from those who had enjoyed just a normal, same old status quo. ‘Don’t do this, it was not here, but we still lived and existed.’
“So, would the earth stop going round if we do them? The answer is no. But the status quo now becomes a problem.”
