If you solve the issue of Agriculture through mechanize farming, you are solving over 25% of Benue problem"- Mnenga

Hon. Richard Tersoo Mnenga, is a Member Governing body Federal University Otuoke Bayelsa State, a Board Member Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). Representing North Central. A graduate of Political Science, BUK. Had his Master's Degree in Peace and Conflict Transformation, Basel University Switzerland. Currently a Law student with BASE University, Abuja. He is also a Benue state Governorship hopeful under the platform of the All Progressive Congress, Party APC. In this interview with Journalists in Abuja, He bares his mind on the green revolution policy of his Administration, insecurity and other challenges confronting the state; Aviashima Toom, was there for Sahel Reporters. Except;

Qts; Sir, Your assurance of Making Benue Regain it's lost Glory of Food basket of the Nation?

Ans; Thank you very much. As you must know i was privilege to go through the manifesto of all the governors of benue state. The only Governor that had something similar with what i want to do that he benue people is Aku, through Green revolution. 

Green revolution is one of the  Cardinal policies of NPN. If I become Governor of benue state, i will introduce green revolution back in Benue with a different name, so that people will not say i am bringing back NPN. 

Former governor Moses Adasu came with similar Program, but  his administration was short-lived by some ambitious and aggressive military officers who wanted power. I think after that no Governor has mentioned that. Ape Aku did green revolution but unfortunately not through mechanize farming.

It's very easy to do these, because we have River Benue. it's very easy to dig Dams because you won't go far in getting water. So, the basic things we need for mechanize farming we already have it in benue state, we won't lack water, it will not take anything to achieve all of that because there is no part of the state Dams cannot be dug.

Like i have always said, if you solve the issue of agriculture, through mechanize farming, you are solving over 25% of benue problems.

Qts: Your position on the issue of VAT as it concern Benue state been dependant of FAAC?

ANS: when your companies are working properly, IGR is generated with  transparency, you don't need to sit and wait for federal allocation. I have already outlined companies I want to bring onboard, if these companies are actively working and are being monitored, we will not experiencing the problems we are facing at the moment. And so to me i think waiting for federal allocation is the highest level of laziness, even though i am not in support of the southern governors position on the issue, i wouldn't want to go into that.

Let me tell you, if you know the amount of monies used in building the factories they are enjoying today, they won't be talking about VAT. Well that's a topic for another day.

Come to think of it, how much was Ape Aku collecting? but look at the level of achievement for just four years. What about Moses Adasu who did just a year and some months, how much was he collecting? He was able to attract much for the state. And non of these Governors i mentioned ean up to what our present governors are earning, however one may say times have changed. Even though times have changed, with leaders who are prudente and selfless the way our former governors were, we would have gone far by now.

So for me i will not sit and wait for federal allocation, IGR will be generated transparently, transparently i repeat.

Take a trip to Benue state, you will see alot of illegal check points and most of the monies realize goes to individuals pockets. Under my administration, i will make sure all these funds are properly channel and if our IGR is transparently decleaed, i think we will not have to sit and wait for federal allocation.

And most importantly, if the companies i intended to bring on board are effectively and efficiently working and taxes are payed, its just having the goodwill to do that, you will do.

Qts: On financial leakages in the state, what will you differently from the present?

ANS: Appointing someone who shares you ideology to man this place. Somebody who is aspiring to be governor should know who and who should handles what.

If i may ask, was there any leakage when Ape Aku was the Governor of benue state? What about Adasu, was there any leakage during him period as governor? No! Because they has the goodwill and desire to do what was right, so they brought credible and transparent people on board to man these offices.

Unlike now, where political appointment are giving base on patronage with absolute instructions to settle a particular group of person, that is the highest level of nonsense i will never tolerate in my administration if elected as Governor of benue state come 2023.

"I am giving you this position, take care of setting group of people, our former Governors like i said  never did that, if they have done what our present crops of governors are doing we won't have been where we are today. Because our former governors started on a very good note, I am not mentioning names, but some people recently deviated from what our founding fathers laid"

So it's a matter of proper monitoring, if you assigned a particular person a job and he is not meeting up with the target, the best thing is to change the person and bring someone else, that is if you are very serious. Not giving the appointment base on political patronage. if you give base on deliverance, you will succeed, it's just about goodwill and seriousness, you can do it.

Our Governors who performed excellently, didn't come from heaven, they made use of people like you and I, and because they had very strong monitoring mechanisms mechanisms, a very good tools for checks and balances, they succeeded, i believe the reverse will not be the case if I am elected Governor.

Qts: are you favoured by zoning considering agitation from other zones?

ANS: If the slot is sided to zone 'C', good and fine. But if it to be retained to zone 'A' then I am favoured by the zoning. We are all from benue state and every body deserve attention. 

"If the stakeholders decide it should be shifted to zone 'C' good and fine. But if it is retained to other part of the state, the I have àage over most of the aspirants"

But you know this is democracy, you can not stop anybody from contesting. To me the Jechira people are just ranting. Adasu, a Jechira man was governor duely elected for a year and some months, it is said that, that office is like an injection, once you receive a jab, you leave even for a day.

Adasu has been in government house as democratically elected governor, it doesn't matter how long, so we from Kwande can also argue that Aku didn't complete his tenure because it was shortlived by the military. 

So Jechira argument to me is baseless, very, very baseless, because some are even saying, Adasu tenure was short lived, so it is illegal. Adasu brought Benue state university, Federal Medical Center and a lots of other achievement, so are they saying these things are all illegal?

Ayu was Senate president,  Ebute was Senate presidents another benue son, will you write these positions off? Steve Tsav and Emmanuel Jime were Speaker, Yakubu Agada was Deputy Governor, will you discribe their positions as illegal? No!

So as far as i am concern Jechira people are only ranting. As long as we keep to zoning which the benue people are known for, as long as the governorship is to be retain in Tiv land, it's the turn of Kwande. Unless the elders decide that it should be to zone 'C' then we will have nothing to say. Benue is our state and the decision of the people will be respected.

Qts: Your specific plan to link up road network, particularly the Oju/Awaji road?

ANS: it's one of my cardinal policies. Because if there are good roads network, you can boost agricultural products in the state. In the Sankera axis apart from the insecurity in the area, farming activities where carried out smoothly, because the former Governor, Suswan constructed alot of roads over there.

You cannot promote agriculture without good roads because farmers need to transport their produce to the urban areas. So as one of my cardinal policies, i will make sure i constructs and rehabilitate all the roads that link the rural areas for easy accessibility.