The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, yesterday 29th June; 2021, embarked on unscheduled inspection of some State Government facilities/projects in Makurdi, the Benue State Capital.
Perhaps more important than the fanfare that characterizes projects’ commissioning, is ensuring that, public amenities are living up to their mandate. One way (amongst many others) to guarantee this, is for the man at the top to routinely make unscheduled stops at facilities. It gives a clearer picture away from the discordant views that are from official updates that may conceal a lot; from partisan assessments that may be overtly flattering or fiercely critical and away from facts.
It’s not rocket science that unscheduled visits put both public administrators and contractors on their toes. It also ensures compliance with agreed quality of work as well as shortening time taken for end users to start benefiting from Government projects.
For example, Government may procure several thousands of seats and chairs for schools/pupils and months after the fanfare and news, these items still lie at government stores while near by government schools show shameful lack of these furniture. Items procured with hundreds of millions of naira have continued to lie waste for long durations; and some gone obsolete. This is why it’s commendable and for all times, recommended that these visits be made every now and then.
The Governor, on this latest tour, inspected the almost completed renovation of the Benue People’s House; the Benue Television; ongoing construction of the Benue Geographic Information Service (BENGIS) building; permanent office complex for ministry of Housing and other agencies of Government; Arabic Primary School, Central Primary School and Holy Ghost Primary school all in Wadata area of Makurdi.
Other inspected projects were the Apir-Tse Poor road and rural electrification project and the almost completed BIRS headquarters on Banks’ road Makurdi.