The Assembly also approves a N1.5 million monthly funding boost for the Benue State Rehabilitation Board, alongside vehicles and instructional materials to improve services for vulnerable citizens.
The Benue State House of Assembly has passed a bill establishing the Benue State Widows Commission, a legislative move aimed at ending abusive cultural practices against widows and shielding them from exploitation.
The bill, titled “A Law to Establish the Benue State Widows Commission and for Related Purposes, 2025,” was approved on Tuesday after its third reading during plenary in Makurdi.
Protecting vulnerable citizens
Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Beckie Orpin, emphasized that widows remain among the most vulnerable groups in the state. She described the passage of the bill as a fulfillment of the assembly’s constitutional duty to safeguard at-risk citizens through effective legislation.
The Majority Leader, Thomas Dugeri, moved the motion for the adoption of the committee’s report and bill clauses. Following this, Speaker Alfred Emberga directed the clerk, Bem Mela, to conduct the third reading, after which the bill was formally passed.
Reforms for the Rehabilitation Board
In a separate resolution, the Assembly reviewed a report on the Benue State Rehabilitation Board in Apirl, following an assessment by the women affairs committee.
Orpin explained that the existing law establishing the board is outdated and underfunded, with current monthly contributions of N100,000 from local government councils insufficient for operations. The report highlighted the facility’s lack of basic amenities, including a functional sick bay, learning materials, and operational vehicles.
Dugeri described the board as being in a deplorable state, citing structural decay and poor feeding of children due to chronic underfunding. McClinton Manger, representing Tarka constituency, added that local government contributions are often not released.
Funding and facilities upgraded
After deliberations, Speaker Emberga directed the committees on Women Affairs, Business, and Rules to draft a new bill to repeal the 1996 edict governing the board.
The Assembly also approved increasing the board’s monthly funding from N100,000 to N1.5 million, ordered the prompt release of funds, and sanctioned the procurement of a Toyota bus for students and a Hilux vehicle for official use. Emberga further instructed that adequate instructional materials be provided to enhance teaching and learning at the rehabilitation centre.
