
The Department of Civil-Military Cooperation in the office of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) under General Gabriel Olonisakin, yesterday said it has provided 10 boreholes in ten communities of Benue State to alleviate the water challenges confronting the people.
Six of the boreholes were sunk in Makurdi Local Government Area, while four others were sunk in Guma Local Government Area, the homestead of Governor Samuel Ortom.
In Makurdi Local Government, two boreholes were sunk in Fiidi Council ward, one each at Tyo-Mu, Angbaaye, Hemba-angbian and Abua, respectively.
In Guma, the four boreholes were sited in Abinsi, Azom, Ikyor and Agasha Market communities.
Speaking at the event, Chief of Defense Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, explained that the projects were cited to tackle the water needs of the benefitting communities.
Olonisakin, who was represented at the event by the Director, Civil-Military Cooperation, Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Rear-Admiral Obed Ngalabak, said the project was initiated by the military taking into cognisance that government presence was not everywhere.
“We are aware that government presence is not everywhere and where people don’t have a stake in what is going on, they will not be concerned and we felt that we should give them a stake in government and one of them is the boreholes we provided for them.
“Drinking the water alone will make them realise that government is here and that this was done by the military, therefore they will acknowledge that, if nothing else, they should reciprocate by giving information and things like that.”
The CDS said the projects were initiated by General Olanisakin to bring the people closer to the military, adding that; “as you know Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), the military spike operation in the state, is one of the DHQ led operations and we see the need to carry the communities along and for that reason various communities were selected by the OPWS Commander, Major-General Yekini to benefit”.