By Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has said the state possesses the human capital and abundant natural resources required to build a prosperous economy and improve the living standards of its people.
Alia stated this on Monday while declaring open the Benue 2035 Economic Transformation, Capital Formation and Prosperity Summit in Makurdi.
The summit, organised by the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) in partnership with Hudson Global, is designed to develop practical strategies for attracting investment, creating jobs and accelerating the state’s economic transformation.
The governor said Benue’s development would depend not only on its potential but on its ability to convert available opportunities into investments, productive activities, employment and sustainable incomes.
According to him, the government has a responsibility to protect citizens and create an environment where individuals and businesses can thrive.
“Government cannot do everything for everyone. What government can and must do is create the environment in which people can succeed — an environment defined by security, infrastructure, quality education, accessible healthcare, opportunity, productive employment, investment and strong institutions,” Alia said.
He added that his administration’s vision was to build an economy where hard work, entrepreneurship and innovation could translate into improved living standards.
The governor described the Benue 2035 summit as more than another policy gathering, saying it should produce practical decisions, executable strategies and clear investment priorities.
“The Benue 2035 Economic Transformation, Capital Formation and Prosperity Summit is not simply another summit. It is an opportunity to move Benue from potential to prosperity,” he said.
Alia urged participants to think boldly, challenge assumptions and develop practical solutions rather than produce recommendations that would remain unimplemented.
“We need clear ownership, measurable results and implementable guidelines, not another report that will end up on a shelf,” he said.
He identified governance and execution, security and justice, capital formation, fiscal sustainability, economic development, agriculture, infrastructure, power, logistics, human capital development, technology, artificial intelligence and productivity as critical areas requiring attention.
The governor also cautioned participants against allowing political considerations ahead of the next election to undermine the summit’s objectives.
“The next election matters, but the future and prosperity of Benue matter more. Whatever we build must extend beyond an election cycle, beyond an administration and beyond any one individual,” Alia said.
Earlier, the Group Managing Director of BIPC, Dr Raymond Asemakaha, said the summit, tagged Swift Alignment of Strategic Imperatives (SASI), reflected the state’s commitment to creating a stronger and more sustainable economy.
Asemakaha said Benue’s tertiary institutions produced 14,802 graduates in 2024, with the figure subsequently rising to about 16,200, highlighting the growing need to create productive opportunities for the state’s expanding workforce.
He noted that with an estimated population of 7.3 million, an annual population growth rate of 2.4 per cent and more than 34,000 square kilometres of largely underutilised land, Benue must grow its economy faster than its population to achieve sustainable prosperity.
Asemakaha said BIPC was positioning itself as a platform for investment engagement and partnerships, with a target of attracting about $5 billion in investment into the state.
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