A Presidential Aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tein Jack-Rich has pledged to harness the potential of River Benue, industrialise and create over 450,000 direct jobs in Benue, if elected as President of Nigeria.
Jack-Rich, a renowned Industrialist, made the promise when he received a high-powered delegation of founding leaders of the APC in Benue State led by an elder Statesman Sen. Jack Tilley-Gyado at his Campaign Office in Abuja.
The aspirant identified River Benue in Makurdi as a strategic economic hotspot with untapped economic potentials as encapsulated in the blueprint of his vision for a prosperous Nigeria.
Jack-Rich said he planned to canalise River Benue and harness its full economic potentials with a view to industrialising Benue and the Middle Belt in general.
He said the move would create over 450,000 direct jobs in Benue with its multiplier effect on household economy.
“I have identified key economic hotspot within the confluence in Makurdi where we can build a strategic Seaport.
“We will clear the waterways, expand and dredge the canals to allow for easy sail and berth of vessels with goods and services in and out of the Benue waterways. We will also have Shipyard at the Benue Seaport.
“When we do this it would create over 450,000 direct jobs. Marine Transportation will also thrive in the State when this happens.
“When we do this industrialization would make much sense to the people of Benue State who are predominantly into farming.
“So, we will industrialize the Agricultural Sector of Benue State leveraging on the economic potentials of River Benue,” Jack-Rich said.
He added that part of his vision was to deploy not less than 5,000 equipment to Benue State with each engaging no fewer than 90 persons, especially youths, into the economic value chain of the state.
Jack-Rich also promised to set aside five per cent of the country’s oil revenue as stimulus package to be managed by Community Development Banks, for the socio-economic development of local communities and wellbeing of the masses.
Jack-Rich said he would ensure that there was a proper ecosystem within the traditional value system comprising District Heads, Chiefs, Traditional Rulers and local authorities to administer the proceeds.
“From the National point of view, there is what I call the quick, quick wins which the low hanging fruits.
“I will inject stimulus such that every single Ward would have access to nothing less than five percent of the country’s oil revenue.
“This five per cent oil revenue will be channeled through a Nigerian Bank that will be established in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“We will introduce a Community Development Bank that will manage the money on behalf of the Communities and Wards.”
He said that the funds would be deployed according to the needs of the wards and communities to help the poor and the most vulnerable in the society such as Widows, the elderly, orphans.
He said that it would also be used to support farmers, schools, provide quality healthcare and enhance the general wellbeing of the local communities.
In his remarks, the Director General of the Jack-Rich Presidential Campaign Organisation and former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda described Jack-Rich as man divinely ordained to rescue Nigeria from its numerous challenges besetting it.
Speaking earlier, the Leader of the delegation , Sena. Jack Tilley-Gyado said the essence of the visit was to identify with the APC presidential aspirant base on his numerous humanitarian projects across the country with direct impact on the lives of the poor masses
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. Tilley-Gyado also described Jack-Rich as the kind of Leader Nigeria needs at this time of its history to address the myriads of challenges bedeviling the Nation.
The APC Chairman in Benue State, Austin Agada said the humanitarian works of Jack-Rich has endeared him to the people of Benue State. (NAN)