Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia is facing public backlash following the distribution of branded wheelbarrows to women in the state as part of an economic empowerment initiative.
The items, tagged “Hyacinth Cares,” were handed out last week to support women engaged in agriculture and small-scale trading, according to state officials.
The government claims the move is aimed at easing the transportation of produce amid worsening security challenges that have hampered farming and rural mobility across the state.
The wheelbarrows, fitted with steel frames and 100-litre capacity, are intended to improve mobility and boost economic resilience among rural women.
However, critics argue the programme lacks dignity and fails to address systemic poverty, insecurity, and limited access to markets or financial services.
The controversy has also reignited memories of a similar scheme under former Governor Samuel Ortom in 2017, when branded wheelbarrows were also distributed under a youth empowerment program—drawing public condemnation at the time.
Others have demanded more sustainable interventions, such as access to credit, improved security for farmers, and investment in mechanised agriculture.
Despite the backlash, some supporters defended the initiative, calling it a practical response to the transportation challenges faced by rural women
Meanwhile, the former Publicity Secretary of the APC in Benue State, Dan-Morgan Ihomun, condemned the wheelbarrow initiative, stating that the Benue State government should have provided fertilisers to farmers instead. He emphasised that fertilisers are more critical at this time.
“On the wheelbarrows saga, I think the Benue State government should have rather provided fertilisers to farmers. Fertilisers are more important at these times,” he said.
In a statement released on July 21, 2025, by Comrade Ngorngor Talento, Media and Publicity Aide to the ALGOVC Chairman, it was disclosed that Deputy Chairman Janet Hembafan Orukuna distributed farm inputs under the Renewed Hope Initiative.
He stated that the intervention is part of the Renewed Hope Initiative, a nationwide agricultural support programme championed by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The statement read, “The Deputy Chairman of Vandeikya Local Government and Algovc Chairman Benue State Chapter, Rt. Hon. Janet Hembafan Orukuna, has successfully distributed farm inputs to beneficiaries in the local government area.
“The intervention is part of the Renewed Hope Initiative, a nationwide agricultural support programme championed by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
“The distribution took place at the Vandeikya Local Government Secretariat, where the Deputy Chairman emphasised the importance of agriculture in rural development and food security. She applauded the First Lady’s visionary leadership and expressed her commitment to ensuring that the initiative reaches the grassroots.
“Beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the support, describing the gesture as timely and impactful for the farming season,” he said.
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