Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue said the ongoing construction of Makurdi township roads would be completed before Easter.

Mr Alia disclosed this on Saturday at Saint Gerald’s Majella Cathedral, Katsina-Ala, during the funeral mass of a traditional ruler, Abu King Shuluwa.

The late king was born in 1946 and died at the age of 79.

According to Mr Alia, the ongoing construction of Makurdi township road will be completed before the 2024 Easter celebration, for the contractor to move to other local government areas (LGAs) of the state.

He said the Makurdi-Gboko, Yandev-Ugbema-Katsina Ala, Yandev-Buruku crossing point and Katsina Ala- Wukari highways were captured in the 2024 budget.

He further promised that his administration would continue to appeal to the minister of works, Dave Umahi, to commence work on the road projects.

Earlier, in his sermon, the Catholic Bishop of Katsina-Ala Diocese, Most Rev. Isaac Dugu, called on traditional leaders and other stakeholders from other LGAs to join hands with those in Sankera axis to end banditry, kidnapping and other forms of crime in the area.

Mr Dugu urged the Tor Tiv, king makers and the governor to ensure that those who would be selected to fill the vacant stool of Ter Katsina-Ala and Tor Sankera were of proven integrity and fear of God.

Also, in his funeral oration, Sen. Emmanuel Udende, the Senate Committee chairman on anti-corruption and financial crimes, representing Benue North East (APC), described the late Shuluwa as a forthright king.

He said the late monarch never harboured negative feelings against people and was always true to resolving any supposed impasse with people he encountered.

On the insecurity in Sankera, Mr Udende said that the teething problem was everyone’s responsibility to tackle and, of which, called for a roundtable.

Mr Udende disclosed that the late monarch nurtured his political life.

(NAN)