Hir Joseph
9 November 2008
Makurdi — The Benue State commissioner for Rural Development and Cooperatives, Dr. Atoato Girgir died Saturday following a simple fracture he had while playing football with friends in Makurdi.
The commissioner, who was a right hand man of Governor Gabriel Tor-Suswam died at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) where he was referred for treatment from the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Makurdi.
"He was receiving treatment at the Jos hospital where he died", Governor Suswam's spokesman, Mr. Cletus Akwaya confirmed to Daily Trust in Makurdi yesterday. Akwaya declined further comments saying, "I am not yet privy to the diagnoses". Some government sources however told newsmen that Dr. Girgir had caught a shot during the novelty match where he was a goal keeper and fell backwards. After the fall, he could not stand up again, having fractured one of his bones. He was immediately rushed to FMC where he was referred to Jos. At Jos, his condition improved, although the state government was said to have concluded plans for his flight abroad for further treatment before his sudden death.
The news of the death was first broken by the state deputy governor, Chief Steven Lawani, who arrived late for the closing ceremony of the Nigerian Air Force Golf Tournament in Otukpo. He told a stunned Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin of the sad development. Girgir, who hailed from Ushongo area of the state was known as a strong supporter of the Suswam administration, having co-authored the governor's economic development blue print christened "Our Benue, Our Future". His ministry had commissioned five electricity projects in the past year, with five others in different stages of completion.
Girgir who was before his appointment, a lecturer at the Benue State University (BSU), was the brain behind the Benue State Reform Team that developed the State Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (SEEDS), before Governor Suswam drafted him into his executive council to add his technical touch to the administration.
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