Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has urged the populace to stop spreading malicious rumours and lies about others.
Messages that are harmful to organisations or individuals will have consequences, he warned, but the government would not police speech.
On Saturday, at the funeral for the late John Chia, a former member of the Benue State House of Assembly, Gov. Alia of Benue provided the advise in Vandeikya LGA.
Benue State, Governor Alia said, is being subjected to a deluge of intentional misinformation, and he urged residents to avoid from making unfounded and provocative statements in an effort to prevent civil unrest.
The governor also urged state employees to take their jobs seriously by mandating their daily presence at the office and the training of 10,000 young people in ICT.
He warned against illegal levies and extortion of state merchants, saying that any government employee caught slacking off will be questioned.
He urged the people of Benue to obey the law and to unite behind Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to help him achieve his goals.
Governor Alia expressed regret that the deceased, who played a key role in the events that led to his election as Governor of Benue State, would no longer be able to offer advice and share in the state’s future prosperity under his administration.
He expressed gratitude to the 6th Benue Assembly for the outpouring of support shown at the funeral for John Chia.
The Governor also expressed his gratitude to the state’s traditional leaders for their efforts to preserve public safety.
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