International Youth Day: Benue Governor Alia Urges Youths To Shun Spreading Fake Political News
By Armstrong Tseaa, Makurdi
The Benue State Governor, Rev. Hyacinth Alia has called on Benue youths to shun the practice of fake political news spreading in the state cyberspace.
He made the appeal on Tuesday in Makurdi during the 2025 International Youth Day celebrated every 12th August.
Governor Alia urged the youths to channel their energies to positive ventures like engaging in Artificial Intelligence, agribusiness and other worthwhile ventures that are financially rewarding.
Governor Alia described as insensitive the attitude of using the “social media or rich media” to misinform, disinform or outright dishing out of completely fake news for primordial and petty reasons as worrisome and a security threat to the dicey situation in the state.
Gov. Alia called on the youths to embrace the youths empowerment schemes his administration has provided.
He remarked: “I encourage you to form cooperative S
societies as a vehicle for my administration to support you with agricultural inputs.
“We can provide land and do the tilling but at the end of harvesting, you will either make the state government your off taker or sell it to whoever and wherever you chose,” he added.
He also donated a bus to the national executive council of the National Union of Benue State Students (NUBESS), two buses to his Special Assistant (SA) on Youths Mobilisation and Taskforce on Illegal Levies, Hon. Terver Gbenda for his groups.
He also declared scholarship to any university of choice to three Benue State candidates who performed excellently at the 2024 National Science Competitions led by Miss Naswem of Sora Academy, Gboko in Benue State.
“As long as I remain the Governor of Benue State, their birthdays shall be celebrated at the Government House, Makurdi as a mark of honour for them, he told the cheering crowd.
Various youth groups, comedians and musicians took their turns to appreciate the governor for being the first in the history to give massive political appointments to youths.
The day was marked with musical renditions, acrobatics, dances and traditional music from various artists like ODWoods, Benue Michael Jackson, Egyptian Cairo amongst other performing artists of Benue origin.
Many respondents who spoke to DAILYLIGHT REPORTERS correspondent expressed joy that Governor Alia has done the youths proud by attending the International Youth Day celebrations in person.