Gov Alia reshuffles commissioner, creates new agencies

..names heads, sends Commissioner nominee to Assembly

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has approved the creation of key government agencies, appointed their heads, constituted a state project monitoring team, redeployed a Commissioner and forwarded the name of a Commissioner nominee to the Benue State House of Assembly.

The approvals were contained in a statement issued Wednesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula.

According to the statement, the newly created agencies are the Benue Road Maintenance Agency, the North Central Development Commission State Office and the Agency for Recreation and Parks.

The Governor appointed Thaddeus Tarzomon as General Manager of the Benue Road Maintenance Agency; Dr. Ben Ebe as State Coordinator of the North Central Development Commission office; Mercy Turugh as Executive Secretary of the Agency for Recreation and Parks; and Samuel Agwa as the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) State Program Coordinator.

Governor Alia also approved the constitution of the Benue State Project Monitoring Team, with Dr. Felix Atume as Chairman and Mlumun Ikpaahindi as Secretary. Other members are Engr. Cephas Suswam, Surveyor Bartholomew Feese, Engr. Terna Ibi, Engr. Sa Baba, Architect Idu Adakole and Engr. Jijingi Emmanuel.

According to the statement, the committee is expected to oversee and monitor government projects across all sectors, ensure compliance with approved specifications, timelines and budgets, conduct periodic inspections, identify project delays or substandard execution, advise government on project costs and value-for-money considerations, and perform any other assignments as may be directed by the Governor.

The Governor also approved the deployment of the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. James Dwam, to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs with immediate effect.

In a related development, Alia also forwarded the name of Mr. Ankwa Amo to the Benue State House of Assembly for confirmation as a Commissioner.