By Terver Zamber
The Benue State House of Assembly, Wednesday December 11th 2024, during a plenary presided over by the speaker Chief Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, received the proposed budget estimates of 550, 112, 988, 930• 45k for the 2025 fiscal year, presented by Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The budget, christened, Budget of Human Capital Development, Food Security and Digital Economy aims to build on previous achievements and address challenges faced by the State.
The budget focuses on key areas such as education, healthcare, security, youth empowerment, and infrastructure.
Speaking after the presentation of the Budget, the Speaker of the House, Chief Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh restated the willingness of the tenth Assembly to give the 2025 annual budget estimates presented to it by Governor Hyacinth Alia a speedy passage.
Chief Dajoh urged all MDAs to cooperate with the house standing committees during screening of the budget in order to have a workable and people oriented budget.
The speaker restated the commitment of the Assembly towards quality legislation for good governance and also commended the capacity and courage of the Governor as well as his uncommon zeal to governance.
He pointed out some of the achievements of the Governor in 2024, budget including road infrastructure, investment in information and communication technology to digitalize the state institutions, industrial revolution under Benue investment and property company and effective management of security, expressed hope that the Governor will use next year budget to sustain the achievements recorded so far as well as accommodate new projects to move Benue forward.
The Speaker drew the attention of the Governor that the House do not have a befitting chamber and office accommodation and requested him to complete the renovation of the Assembly complex he began last year.
Also, during Plenary the House received Governor Hyacinth Alia nominees for screening and confirmation as chairman and members of the Benue State Assembly Service Commission.
They are Mrs Ngohemba Agaigbe as chairman with Mrs Dorcas Mbatiav, Otumala Ogbu, Isaac Aondo and Dennis Umbur as members.
Their names were contained in a correspondence from the Governor to the Assembly and read by the speaker during Wednesday plenary.
The nominees are to appear before the House tomorrow, Thursday 12th December, 2024 for screening.
Three bills also Wednesday passed first reading.
The Bills are the college of Agricultural training centre Mbatie; Tiv, Idoma and Igede languages reintroduction in primary, secondary and higher education and introduction of dress code in primary, secondary and higher institutions of learning.
Member representing Buruku State Constituency Dr. Abraham Jabi who sponsored the bills along other members presented the bills to the house.
Clerk of the house Mr Bernard Nule accordingly read the three bills for the first time.
The Speaker referred the bills to the house standing committee on Rules and Business to be slated for second reading on a later date.
