BENUE STATE IN THE NEWS: Ten things happening in Benue this Tuesday
Good morning! Here are ten things trending in Benue State this Tuesday
1. We start this morning news review on sad note. Residents of Utonkon, a suburb of Benue State were yesterday shocked after a man was arrested for cutting of his neigbours head over land dispute.
The suspect, Rapheal Agazi and the victim Asim have been at loggerheads over a piece of land in located in the community. Agazi is currently cooling his heels at the Otukpo Police Area Command.
2. Wife of the Governor of Benue State, Chief (Mrs.) Eunice Ortom, yesterday paid courtesy visit children at the TIVID Orphanage Home, North Bank, Mkurdi. On hand to receive Her Excellency was Ms. Favour Adah Paul who is in charge of the home.
The First Lady prayed with the children and encouraged them to be of good behaviour.
3. Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, today pledged to investigate why funds from the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, Sure-P, meant for payment of those engaged in Benue were not available for them.
He made the disclosure while addressing those affected who were protesting the non-payment of their stipends and had blocked his way to the office at the gate to the Benue Peoples House.
4. The immediate past Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, has vowed to challenge what he said was betrayal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by a state lawmaker, James Ejembi, representing Okpokwu constituency at the Benue State House of Assembly.
Ejembi allegedly betrayed the cause of the PDP which had majority in the House by supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates with minority legislators to take the position of speaker and other key positions while he got the deputy speaker position.
5. Students of Benue State University, yesterday laid the ‘laid’ the school to rest. The enraged students as well as staff of the school trooped out to protest the protracted strike embarked on by the Academic Staff Union of the institution and the refusal of the state government to attend to workers’ plight.
6. The immediate past Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, has denied his involvement in the alleged disappearance of N21bn during his term as the minister.
He also denied his alleged arrest by anti-graft agencies as widely reported on social media.
Moro said he got several calls from friends and well-wishers when the news of his alleged arrest hit the media.
They expressed their grievances with a casket with a inscription, RIP BSU.
7. President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan – Chief of Defence Intelligence.
Morgan is a native of Idoma in Benue State, he was until his elevation Commander, Logistics Command, Nigerian Air Force, Ikeja.
8. The Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue state, has denied a claim posted on the social media that it had commenced the sale of form for the 2015 academic session.
This is contained in a statement signed on Saturday by the University’s Spokesman, Mr Isaac Ameh, and made available in Abuja.
9. Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, has declared that the state government will not spare anyone caught in gay activities in the state .
Governor Ortom made the announcement today at the old banquet hall of the Benue People’s house in Makurdi during a courtesy call on him by the Prelate of the Anglican Communion of Nigeria, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh.
10. The Benue State Ministry of Finance has denied charges of graft levelled against some of its staff on social media platforms.
Governor Samuel Ortom had directed the Permanent Secretary and Accountant General in the Ministry to investigate allegations that their staff were collecting between five hundred and one thousand naira to prepare vouchers for those whose names had been omitted.
But the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Ruth Ijir, in a statement, denied the charges and urged those with proof to step forward.
Benue news
Benue State in the news: Ten things happening in Benue this Friday
Benue State in the news: Ten things happening in Benue this Saturday
By Ekre Christian
1. After a long wait, the people of Benue State welcomed a new government with open arms on Friday as Dr. Samuel Ortom finally mounted the throne of leadership as the state’s number one man.
2. Shortly after his swearing-in as the state chief executive officer, governor Ortom decorated Orlu Pawa as his Chief Security Officer amid cheers.
3. Benue State governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom has warned that no thief will escape the sword of President Muhammadu Buhari. The governor in his inaugural speech affirmed that the sword of the new president will locate any one who had stolen public funds. He was referring to his predecessor , Suswam who fled the country with his wife shortly after handing over to him.
4. Senate President, David Mark, has urged Nigerians to persevere more for the continued sustenance of democratic government in the country.
He said “all hands must be on deck where everyone plays his or her role to ensure that our democracy endures”.
Disclosing this yesterday in a goodwill message to Nigerians marking this year’s democracy day, Mark said “All Nigerians deserves commendation. We have done well so far. We must strive more to make democracy a way of life.
5. Benue is billed to host the Less Is More Fashion and Musical Festival (LIM-FMF 2015). The annual event which comes up on 1st August 2015 is organised by Ed-Frank Modeling International one of Benue’s indigenous modeling agencies.
Speaking to newsmen, CEO of the organisation, Mr. Morgan Zaaya said the event is aimed at creating a platform that markets young and creative talents in Benue State, bringing together fashion designers, models, musical artistes, make-up artists, and to promote humanitarian activities, reaching out to the less privilege by way of touching lives, which he says he cannot achieve alone without the support of others.
6.Minister of interior, Abba Moro has challenged the next minister of interior to surpass his achievement in office.
While commissioning of projects at the Civil Defence academy Sauka, Abuja, the minister said “I will encourage the incoming minister of interior to take up from where we are stopping and take the ministry to the next level of development to add value to life of the ordinary Nigerian.”
7. Former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, has disclosed he left his administration dept profile of N9.2bn behind for the incoming administration of Samuel Ortom.
Suswam disclosed this at the Banquet Hall of the Government House Makurdi after presenting his handover notes to Ortom.
He said, “I am leaving behind a total debt profile of N9.2bn for the incoming administration.”
He said he regrets that he did not take the state to a greater heights after spending eight years as a governor
8. Former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam has stated that the people of the state will truly miss him. He claimed he had done his best for them and will always treasure the memories.
9. Former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam; his deputy, Chief Steven Lawani and their aides yesterday shunned the inauguration of the newly sworn-in governor, Samuel Ortom, of the APC and his deputy, Benson Abounu.
At the inauguration ceremony, Chief Ortom promised to provide the needed developmental projects that had eluded the people of the state, adding that he would see to the welfare of the people.
10. At the inauguration event of the Nasarawa governor Tanko Al-makura, things went south very quickly when thugs sympathetic to the APC beat a journalist until he went into a coma allegedly as a result of an unfavourable piece he wrote against President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Tanko Al-makura, and other “unwanted reports”.