Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, is facing mounting criticism after the state government distributed branded wheelbarrows to women as part of a rural empowerment initiative.
The items, labeled “Hyacinth Cares,” were distributed last week to women involved in farming and petty trading.
According to state officials, the gesture was designed to ease produce transportation and enhance economic resilience in rural communities facing worsening security conditions.
The wheelbarrows are said to be constructed with steel frames and have a 100-litre capacity, aimed at aiding mobility and supporting local livelihoods.
However, the initiative has sparked outrage on social media and within the state, with many critics arguing that the programme is demeaning and fails to address more pressing needs such as poverty alleviation, insecurity, access to credit, and improved agricultural infrastructure.
The backlash has also revived memories of a similar scheme under former Governor Samuel Ortom in 2017, which involved distributing wheelbarrows to youths, a move that was heavily criticized at the time.
While some have described the wheelbarrow distribution as a symbolic and insufficient gesture, others have called for more meaningful and sustainable interventions, including provision of fertilisers, investment in mechanized farming, and improving access to financial services.
Former Publicity Secretary of the APC in Benue State, Dan-Morgan Ihomun, condemned the initiative, saying the state’s priorities were misplaced.
“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 defense of the government, a statement released on July 21, 2025, by Comrade Ngorngor Talento, Media and Publicity Aide to the ALGOVC Chairman, highlighted other components of the empowerment efforts.
The statement disclosed that Deputy Chairman of Vandeikya Local Government and ALGOVC Chairperson in Benue, Rt. Hon. Janet Hembafan Orukuna, also distributed farm inputs under the Renewed Hope Initiative, a nationwide agricultural support programme spearheaded by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
“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,” the statement read.
The statement added that “Beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the support, describing the gesture as timely and impactful for the farming season.”
Despite attempts to frame the initiative as part of a broader agricultural intervention, public perception remains divided, with many calling for more strategic approaches to rural development and women’s empowerment in Benue State.
