Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has fired back at the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli, describing his recent comments as “childish”.
Soli had, on Tuesday, at plenary said opponents of the Water Resources Bill, including Ortom and Prof. Wole Soyinka, spoke out of ignorance because they did not read the draft of the legislation before making comments.
The legislator, who represents Jibia/Kaita Federal Constituency in Katsina State, had boasted that opposition would not stop the legislature from passing the bill, stressing that it was a done deal.
But Ortom said that Soli spoke as a baby politician, maintaining that he (Ortom) had been in politics since 1982 and could tutor him in the art of politicking.
The governor added that Soli and his likes could not intimidate him, stressing that he adequately knew the import of the bill, which sought to take away water resources from the state government.
To address the numerous challenges associated with land administration in the state, Ortom yesterday inaugurated the Benue State Geographic Information Service (BENGIS) in the Ministry of Lands, Survey, and Solid Minerals.
During the inauguration at the ministry’s headquarters in Makurdi, the governor said that BENGIS would improve urban planning, infrastructure, and environmental management in the state.
The Land Use Act Cap L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, he added, vested all lands in a state in the governor to be held in trust and administered for the use and common benefit of all Nigerians in accordance with the provisions of the act.
