Benue State Governor Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia has charged participants at the Benue 2035 Economic Transformation, Capital Formation and Prosperity Summit to develop practical strategies capable of attracting investment, creating jobs and improving the quality of life of residents.
He gave the charge at the Fr Alia Conference Hall, SEMA, Makurdi, during his opening remarks at the opening ceremony of the summit.
Governor Alia said the meeting must produce clear decisions, measurable outcomes and implementable guidelines that should not end up as another report abandoned on a shelf.
“Potential, by itself, does not transform a society. It must be converted into opportunity, opportunity into investment, investment into productive activity, and productive activity into jobs, incomes and improved quality of life,” he said.
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The governor said the summit was designed to move Benue from “potential to prosperity” by establishing investment priorities and execution strategies that would shape the state’s long-term development.
He urged participants to think boldly, challenge existing assumptions, learn from successful models elsewhere and determine what could realistically work in Benue.
He said, “You were not invited here merely because of the offices you occupy or the positions you hold. You are here because of your knowledge, experience, perspective and capacity to contribute meaningfully to the future of Benue”.
He pointed out that his administration was not seeking a debate on whether Benue should pursue development, attract private capital, modernise government, create jobs, improve security and expand its productive economy.
Alia noted that the areas were interconnected, explaining that agriculture could not thrive without security, businesses could not be productive without infrastructure and reliable power, and investment could not flourish without confidence.
He called for proposals that were ambitious but realistic, innovative but implementable, and directly connected to job creation and household prosperity.
He also asked participants to assess every proposal against two questions: whether it would protect the people and whether it would provide them with a genuine pathway to a better life.
“If a proposal does neither, then we must honestly ask ourselves why the Government should commit its limited time, energy and resources,” he said.
Governor Alia disclosed that the summit would culminate in an executive review, strategic alignment and approval, taking participants from ideas to choices, and from choices to action and measurable results.
“The next election matters, but the future and prosperity of Benue matters more,” he said, adding that the state’s development platform must extend beyond an election cycle, an administration or any individual.
He expressed confidence that the participants would produce recommendations capable of making a real difference in the lives of Benue residents.
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