From Uche Nnorom Makurdi
Former Minister of State, Education Prof. Jerry Agada has frowned at the manner the Catholic Church treated Governor Samuel Ortom during the recent birthday celebration of Senator George Akume.
Prof. Agada decried in an interview with journalists at the weekend that such treatment was an insult to the sensibility of the people as well as the entire system.
It could be recalled that the Church had refused the Governor from making any remarks at the 64th birthday of the former Governor Akume held in his home country, Wannune, Tarka local Government area.
Prof. Agada reminded the Church that it does not operate in isolation, adding that is under the jurisdiction of the state.
“The Church does not operate in isolation as it is under the authority of the governor who is boss over all the religious denominations in the State. If the Church had made a law outlawing or banning politicians from speaking, there would not have been any query with that and even the governor who is a humble person would have abide by it. But an instance where you allow Sen. Akume who is a subject of the governor to speak and deny the governor the opportunity to do same, then it is not fair. I think it was done based on primordial reasoning and I condemn it,” Agada fumed.
The elderstatesman who is also, the Chairman, Benue State Civil Service Commission regretted over the high Wage bill of the State in spite of the high rate of retirement of civil servants and commended the Governor’s effort in drastically reducing the wage bill from 7.8 billion naira to 4.5 billion naira.
On the raging fuel scarcity, he called on President Muhammadu Buhari to bring the hoarders to book to serve as a deterrent to others who sabotage the nation for their selfish gains.
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