The Benue State government has pledged to pay  the medical bill of 200 eye patients who could  not make it to Lagos to benefit from the free eye operation program of Nigeria ’s First Lady, Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua.

The state Governor, Mr. Gabriel Suswam, made the pledge at the General Hospital, North Bank, in Makurdi while answering questions from journalists after an inspection of the screening of eye patients for onward transportation to Lagos for the eye treatment program.

Coordinator of the screening exercise, Dr. Mrs. Lorreta Balogun, of the Loryb Eye Centre, Zaria , had explained to the governor that 50 patients from the state would be transported to Lagos while 200 others who could not be accommodated would be left behind.

Dr. Balogun explained that after undertaking the screening of patients in the three senatorial zones of the state the number of patients requiring attention far exceeded the chances available in Lagos hence the need for intervention by the state government.

This development came on the heels of the award of distinguished ambassador of legal education which Benue State indigenes studying at various Nigerian Law Schools across the country conferred on the governor.

Presenting the award at Government House Makurdi, spokesman of the students, Mr. Mike Ajonye, stated that the students were overwhelmed by the governor’s kindness, and fatherly disposition towards their plight.

‘The grant of N220, 000 to each of us was, is, and will remain an epoch-making grant, first in the history of Benue State,’ he stated.

Mr. Ajonye explained that it was in recognition of the governor’s contribution to educational development in Benue State in general and legal education in particular, that the students decided to make the conferment.

In his response, Governor Suswam said the responsibility of government was to guarantee the future of the younger generation by doing what it was voted to do.

‘As someone who has passed through the system I know the pains hence I took steps to provide succour so that you concentrate on your studies rather than on the anxiety associated with payment of school fees,’ he stated.

Mr. Suswam said with the government’s gesture, no Benue Student has any excuse to fail his or her examinations while maintaining that their show of appreciation has encouraged government to do more for them and to put in place infrastructure in order to guarantee the future of the people.