Benue State House of Assembly has stated that the bulk of the motions moved and debated on in the past year were motions on security challenges.
The chairman of the House Standing Committee on Information, Elias Audu, stated this on Tuesday during a press conference to end the first legislative session of the 10th Assembly.
Audu said that the assembly received and deliberated on 52 substantive motions and adopted 95 major resolutions during the period.
He added that the House received nine major executive communications, including a request to confirm 17 nominees as Commissioners in the State Executive Council, 23 nominees for appointment as Chairmen, Local Government Caretaker Committees and to approve the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (2024 – 2026).
According to Audu, the Civil Protection Guards Establishment Bill already passed was a legislative intervention to end the incessant killings and displacement of people of the state from their ancestral homes.
He added that the decision to repeal life benefits for former governors has nothing to do with vendetta but for the interest of the state.
He said, “It is imperative to mention here that the Civil Protection Guards Establishment Bill is a Legislative intervention to end the incessant killings and mindless displacement of our people from their ancestral homes by marauding herdsmen and the general insecurity in parts of the state so that our farmers can go back to work and produce enough crops to feed the state as well as improve their socio-economic conditions.
“As a way of halting the negative trend of harassment and extortion of money from Land Developers in the State by some unscrupulous youths, the Bill to criminalise ‘Marching Ground’ has become more relevant now than ever before.
“The passage of the Bill for a Law to establish the Benue State Youth Development Commission on the other hand is in recognition of the importance of youths in our society and the need to mainstream their issues in governance as a panacea to provide a platform by which their interest will be projected and promoted through trainings, credit facilities and gainful employments.
“The objectives of the commission when established will end youth festiveness and help to achieve the Governor Alia-led administration’s dreams of a resourceful youth population and a peaceful Benue.”
He added, “One issue that has bothered us so much in our First Legislative Session is the issue of insecurity. That is why no fewer than Twelve out of all the Motions moved and debated on the Floor of the Assembly were Motions to draw the attention of the Executive Arm of Government and other security agencies to the security challenges within and around Benue State.
“Other very critical bills that are at the last stage of passage include the bill for a law to make provision for the establishment of the Benue State Drug and Health Commodities Management Agency.
In May 2024, the Benue State House of Assembly passed an Executive Bill named ‘Benue State Civil Protection Guards (Establishment) Law 2024’.
The Majority Leader of the House, Sateer Teeser, disclosed this to The PUNCH in an interview.
