October 02, (THEWILL) – A cross-section of Professors including Vincent Gisaor Iorja of the department of Economics, Federal University, Wukari, in Taraba state, have said that Benue State requires a good economic team to help drive its agenda to success.
Professor Iorja, who spoke through his paper entitled, “The Socio-Economic Development of Benue State: The Journey Ahead”, presented at the 63rd Independent Anniversary Symposium organised by the Benue State Government in Makurdi, noted that no society can develop in isolation or under autarky situation.
“The huge economic potentials of Benue State can be used as the basis for economic partnership. Thank God we are in an era of PPP, BOT, Branding and Outsourcing.”
The Associate Professor of Economics, submitted that India is known for her investments in the energy sector; Israel for irrigating agriculture and tourism; South Korea for financial reforms; Thailand is versed in trade volumes, hence a Nigerian business community is well settled at Thai, a village in the outskirt of Bangkok.
According to him, an economic team does not mean the Executive Council, Special Advisers or Heads of Government Agencies, but people with expertise and skills in the business items selected for bilateral engagement.
In his paper, “Avoiding pitfalls of the past: Good governance anchored on vision and core values”, Professor Ukertor Gabriel Moti, identified five core values that can stand out a profession, organisation or a person if practiced on a daily basis.
Moti, who is a Professor of Management and Governance, Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Abuja, listed such core values to include Transparency, Accountability, Adherence to code of ethics, Professionalism and Leadership.
According to him, the state cannot flourish without proper leadership, pointing out that practicing leadership is setting an example of professionalism for staff members and possessing the motivation to achieve organisational goals.
“Good governance requires effective leadership with strategic vision, purpose, direction and the ability to inspire and lead with the implicit understanding of possibilities and constraints that are inherent in the cultural history of the Benue population.”
He posited that the quality of leadership and overall governance in a state directly affects the level of political stability and development that such state enjoys, while bad governance and poor leadership only result in underdevelopment and political instability.
“Therefore, the survival of the Benue system rests with leadership. If Benue State leaders continue to politicise the type of governance they offer to the people against all democratic tenets, then Benue would be on the verge of becoming a failed state sooner than later”, he said.
Speaking, Okpeh Okpeh, Professor and Director, Centre for Leadership Studies, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa, said the Benue situation presents a glaring case of man-made tragedy, orchestrated by lack of vision, ingenuity and innovation on the part of the people and their leaders.
He stated that the crisis has affected every facet of the Benue society which according to him, also accentuated by deep social, cultural, political and intellectual challenges.
“It has manifested in mass poverty and it’s prevalance, the almost complete breakdown of social and economic infrastructures, poor savings and invstment culture, debilitating diseases and moral bankruptcy, and the absence of a functional industrial sector.”
Dwelling on the topic, “Pre- Independent Struggles, Contemporary Nigerian Realities and The Benue Experience”, Okpeh stressed the need to invest in rebuilding and recapitalising the rural communities and their inhabitants.
“Benue must as a matter of deliberate policy, invest heavily in the knowledge economy, plunge ourselves into the digital ecosystem and appropriate it’s limitless spinoffs.”
He also recommended a new political culture that would refocus the primary concerns and development aspirations on creating walth and the requisite knowledge to drive and manage same.
The Don, therefore, challenged the current political leaders in Benue State to be intentional in the area of effecting a definite paradigm shift in the Benue narrative, so as to change the collective story of woes, anguish, desperation and hopelessness.
Prof. Iorja
