The Benue State Government has dismissed a recent assessment by the UK-based Good Governance Rating Index (GGRI), which ranked Benue among the three worst-governed states in Nigeria, alongside Zamfara and Kwara.
The GGRI report, released recently, cited poor infrastructure, crumbling schools and hospitals, rising insecurity, economic stagnation, and corruption as reasons for the low rating.
However, in a statement on Tuesday, Chief Solomon Iorpev, Technical Adviser on Media and Strategic Communications to Governor Hyacinth Alia, described the report as “baseless, inaccurate, and misleading.” He argued that the GGRI relied on unofficial data and failed to reflect the realities on the ground.
According to Iorpev, contrary to the report’s claims, the Alia administration has made remarkable progress in stabilising governance, improving infrastructure, and enhancing service delivery.
He pointed out that several challenges highlighted in the ranking—especially security—fall under federal jurisdiction, and therefore, cannot solely be used to measure the state’s performance.
Highlighting the administration’s achievements, Iorpev noted that Governor Alia’s government has recruited over 9,700 teachers, established a cancer treatment centre at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, and commenced the construction of about 390 kilometres of road network across the state’s 23 local government areas.
He added that the state has also revitalised healthcare services, improved primary health centres, and introduced incentives for medical professionals and students.
In education, Iorpev mentioned the construction of new classroom buildings in government schools, scholarships for outstanding students, expanded teacher recruitment, and strong support for girl-child education.
He further listed major infrastructure projects, including the renovation of government buildings such as the State Secretariat and House of Assembly, installation of solar-powered streetlights, and the development of underpasses and road networks aimed at modernising the state’s capital and rural areas.
“The Alia administration remains focused on rebuilding Benue and will not be distracted by flawed assessments lacking credible data or context,” Iorpev concluded.
