Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has said his administration would collaborate with the National Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas to forestall disaster in the state.

Alia, represented by the Deputy Governor, Sam Ode, stated this on Wednesday while receiving the relief materials donated by N-HYPADEC.

He acknowledged the agency’s support for the state’s economic growth and promised collaboration with the agency on disaster management.

He said, “N-HYPADEC has been contributing to the economy of Benue State and also lifting people out of poverty. It has risen to the occasion to alleviate suffering in the affected areas.

“In the future, we will work with you so that we can plan for the issue of disaster management. We should not only be responding when it occurs, but we can act in anticipation of some of these things and address them before they happen.”

Alia said, “As time goes on, we will collaborate and engage with you to carry out our forecasting so that our community will not continue to be ravaged by natural and non-natural consequences.”

Earlier, the acting Managing Director of National Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas, Jimoh Gabi, advised Nigerians to embrace intelligence-gathering to stop the rising insecurity across the country.

Gabi urged citizens to help security agents in intelligence gathering to avert attacks in their communities.

He urged that security should not be left in the hands of security men.

He said, “We should be more sensitive to our environment and help our security men with intelligence gathering to avert future occurrences.”

He stated that the organisation had provided some relief materials for victims of attacks in the state.

Among the donated relief materials are: mattresses, rice, palm oil, bathing soap, a treated mosquito net, washing detergent, a hero hunter machine, rubber mats and cartons of seasoning.

The acting MD called on the government to ensure the judicious distribution of the materials.