Benue governor, Sports minister meet Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu met Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue to receive reports on the state of affairs in the state.

Similarly, the president received the audience of Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Enoh, who was on a maiden visit.

Briefing State House correspondents, Alia said the talk with the president focused on the return of peace in the state and the returning of the state IDPs to their ancestral lands.

“Since our assumption, we have tried to be proactive in ensuring security in the state. In collaboration with security agencies, we identified potential trouble makers.

“We know there are those who benefit from trouble and won’t allow peace in the land. But we came in peace and that is why the state is currently enjoying relative peace,” he said.

On ranching, the governor said that the state was being innovative about it because of its peculiarity as the food basket of the country.

He said that even without the creating of barriers to keep the herds into a ranch for feeding, the state would develop a system to provide fodders for them.

“As an agriculturally wealthy state, our idea is to take care of both the farmers and herders. The main reason for ranching is to give herds a conducive environment to flourish to their best potential.

“The farmers would provide bountious and nutritious fodder for the herds of cattle as well as make some revenue for themselves. So, you see the idea of ranching will be a win-win situation for us in the state,” Alia said.

At the meeting with the president, the sports development minister said the maiden visit was an update on activities at the ministry.

He said he has engaged in a number of innovative ideas to move sports development forward in the country.

Enoh said, “I have to state that we must move forward in sport development through the active participation of the private sector. That’s the practice world wide and Nigeria must key into this.

“I intend to get approval for the offer of different types of incentives for any private sector player that adopts any sport in the country, especially those in the grassroots.

“Similarly, we are engaged in a campaign for the AFCON championship for Nigerians to support the athletes to victory. It is called the “Let’s do it again” campaign.”

The sports minister said he has no intention of tampering with the technical crew of the Super Eagle for now.

He said the ministry would adopt a strategy of identifying peculiar sport in a state of zone that people have great talents, promote them to national and international stages.(NAN)