Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom has acknowledged that the industrial impasse between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has indeed “become a national embarrassment.” Ortom has therefore unfolded his plans to interface with the Benue State University branch of ASUU on how they could discontinue the sympathy strike to enable students return to school. “The prolonged strike embarked upon by ASUU is unfortunate. Nigerian students have been at home for over five months and this is indeed a national embarrassment,” he said. Governor Ortom stated this, when he interacted with the National Union of Benue State Students (NUBESS) and Benue State Youth Parliament who jointly paid him a courtesy call at the government house in Makurdi.

The Governor said that he was impressed with the student’s idea to convene the Students Entrepreneurship Summit, stressing that it was a welcome initiative that would positively engage the students. Ortom encouraged the youths to lead exemplary lives, stressing that they must be of good conduct and shun crime and social vices, which he noted could be inimical to their progress in life. He also charged youths in the state to utilize social media as a platform to evolve solutions to problems rather than using it to destroy personalities and institutions.

He told the youth groups that social media is a veritable platform in the 21st century, emphasising that “we can advance it to positively contribute in bringing solutions to some of the challenges confronting the society.” Governor Ortom also challenged the Benue State Youth Parliament to evolve creative ideas to contribute to governance in the state.

The NUBESS National President, Comrade Gaius Injorovkaa and the Speaker, Benue State Youth Parliament, Ms. Rachael Tyona, in their separate speeches, passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of Governor Ortom for his youth development and security initiatives in governing the state. Also speaking, the State Youth Parliament Speaker, Ms. Tyona affirmed the premium Governor Ortom has placed on youth development initiatives in the state, stating that it was the reason the parliament deliberated and passed a vote of confidence on the Governor for his youth-friendly initiatives.