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  • NUJ Benue State Council Dedicated to God

    NUJ Benue State Council Dedicated to God

    By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Benue Council was today dedicated to God to intervene in the numerous challenges bedeviling it.

    In a brief sermon at the aforementioned ceremony held at the NUJ Secretariat, Makurdi, Rev. Fr. Theophilus Hwande, implored the leadership of the union to serve God by rendering service to humanity.

    “The only way to serve God is to serve humanity. This tool is a point of service to humanity. God will judge you base on the people you have conscientiously served”, he counseled.

    The Clergy who prayed for the leadership of the union, also prayed against the spirit of death in the state council. He prayed for current members of the State Working Committee, SWC, of the union to find favor with God.

    It would be recalled that, NUJ, Benue State Council has lost two of its Chairmen in less than two years, hence the need to dedicate it to the Lord for His mercy.

    Responding, the State Acting Chairman, NUJ, Benue State Council, Comr. Martins Kajo appreciated the Cleric for accepting to dedicate the union into God’s hands.

  • Benue State has no plans to Repeal Anti Open Grazing Law – Gov Ortom

    Benue State has no plans to Repeal Anti Open Grazing Law – Gov Ortom

    From Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has declared that the present administration will not Repeal the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law despite threats and intimidations from herders. 

    The Governor who made the declaration through the Deputy Governor, Engr Benson Abounu while briefing Newsmen at the Government House Makurdi on Wednesday reiterated that Benue has no plans to revise the aforementioned law.

    Continuing,  Ortom hinted that there is heavy deployment of Herders with their cattles into the state, a situation he described as worrisome. He lamented that the Herders were heavily armed. 

    According to the Governor, the anti open grazing law has come to stay, stating that “Benue has its laws and we have been keeping to these laws. He described the law as effective. 

    The Governor contended that six herdsmen have been arrested and handed over to security agents for prosecution, while four hundred cattles have been impounded by the Benue State Livestock Guards for breaching the law.

    He urged herders to adopt the global best way of rearing livestock, which is Ranching if they must operate in the state. ” If you want to rear your cattles in Benue, you must abide by the law. What we are against is open grazing”, Ortom emphasized. 

    The Governor drew the attention of the general public to the recent statement credited to the Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. Sule, that Herders were re-grouping in the state, which attracted reactions from different quarters, including the Presidency.

  • Cholera claims 26 lives in Benue State, 195 hospitalized

    Cholera claims 26 lives in Benue State, 195 hospitalized

    By Isaac Kertyo Makurdi

    No fewer than twenty six persons have been reportedly died of Cholera in Benue State since its outbreak in the state, Commissioner  for Health and Human Services, Dr. Joseph Ngbea has said. 

    Ngbea who made this declaration in an interview in Makurdi explained that fourteen persons have died of the disease in Agatu, seven in Makurdi and five in Guma Local Government Areas respectively.

    The Commissioner further noted that Benue State recorded a total of one hundred and ninety five suspected cases of which one hundred and eleven were from Agatu, fifty nine from Guma, fifteen from Gwer and ten from Makurdi Local Government Areas.

    Ngbea assured that medical teams were on ground to carry out their responsibilities of treating patients as well as enlightening the public on best hygiene practices.

    He cautioned the people residing along riverine areas against drinking water from conterminated sources, even as he enjoined them to improve on sanitation and hygiene practices to combat the epidemic.

  • FG launches $ 200 million World Bank IDEAS projects in Benue State

    FG launches $ 200 million World Bank IDEAS projects in Benue State

    By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi

    The Federal Government has said the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) projects would enhance the capacity of  the Nigerian Youths in relevant skills.

    National Coordinator of the projects, Mrs Blessings Ogwu who stated this on Wednesday at a workshop for North Central Officers of the projects in Makurdi, maintained that Two Hundred Million Dollars have been given to Nigeria for the period of 5 years to support federal and states technical colleges in the country.

    Her words: ” IDEAS is a Word Bank Assisted Projects initiated by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education with the objective of enhancing the capacity of the Nigerian Youths in relevant skills in formal and informal sectors in order to address unemployment in the country”.

    She called the Benue State Government and other relevant stakeholders to key into the projects in order to equip the youths with the required skills. 

    Also speaking, Benue State, Governor Samuel Ortom, stressed that collaboration between the federal government and the World Bank to implement the IDEAS projects was sacrosanct, adding that it would bridge the gap between educational institutions’ products and industry demand for labor force.

    The Governor who  spoke through his Principal Special Assistant on Rural Development, Dr Azer Abya stated that the major challenge confronting the nation was high rate of unemployment, pointing out that Benue State Government is ready to partner any organization towards achieving technical and vocational training.

    He assured that his administration is determined to impact the lives of the teeming youths through programs and innovations that would create jobs for them.

  • Police Arrest 83 Suspected Cultists In Benue

    Police Arrest 83 Suspected Cultists In Benue

    The Police in Benue State have arrested eighty-three cultists and criminals with 10 firearms and seven live ammunition, as part of the police crackdown on black spots during the festive period.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Mohammed Mukadass disclosed this while briefing journalists at the headquarters on Wednesday.

    He also noted that the seizure and alleged burning of motorcycles in the troubled Sankera axis of the state, the erstwhile hotbed of deceased militia leader, Terwase Akwaza, has drastically reduced the rate of criminal activities in the area.

    Although the Commissioner of Police was silent on who burnt the motorcycles, he said the enforcement of the state security council decision to ban the use of motorcycles in Sankera following the killing of eight persons between the Christmas and new year holidays, was yielding result.

  • Soldiers kill bandits in Benue State

    Soldiers kill bandits in Benue State

    By Isaac Kertyo Makurdi   

    No fewer than three suspected armed bandits terrorising Benue communities were reportedly killed at Adaka in Makurdi Local Government Area by the troops of the Military operatives, popularly known as Operation Whirl Stroke.   

    Findings by Day Break showed that the incident occurred following a gun duel with the troops by the aforesaid bandits on Makurdi-Naka-Adoka road, few kilometers from Makurdi, the Benue State capital.   

    Checks by Day Break further indicated that the armed bandits had attacked Adaka community and shot into the air to scare residents of the area, where they robbed the people of various item.   

    The armed bandits met their Waterloo after distress calls were put across to the military personnel who were on patrol of the area. The operation whirl stroke, it was learnt shot dead three of them while others ran into the bush .    Items recovered from the bandits include three AK47 among other items.   

    Confirming the incident, the Commander in charge of the troops, Majoy General Adeyemi Yekini averred that his patrol team had an encounter with some armed bandits in Adaka community.    

    His words: ” Our troops are on top of the situation and will be alive to their responsibility to protect lives and property of the people,” Gen. Yekini assured. 

  • Hoodlums shoot DPO in Benue State

    Hoodlums shoot DPO in Benue State

    By Isaac Kertyo Makurdi    

    There is palpable fear in Otukpo town, headquarters of Benue South Senatorial District as hoodlums shot Yahaya Pawa, Divisional Police Officer(DPO) in charge of Otukpo Police station.   

    Day Break learned that the shooting ensued when Pawa led other officers to Icho-Otukpo settlement to effect arrest of criminals suspected to have looted items during fire outbreak that raised down Otukpo market recently.   

    It was gathered that the aforementioned criminals were said to have been selling the stolen items to people, and while trying to apprehend them, the criminals shot Pawa and took to their heels.   

    Confirming the incident, Police  Public Relation’s Officer (PPRO), Benue State Command, Kate Anene affirmed that Pawa is in a steady condition and receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital. 

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  • Gov Ortom presents N132b 2021 budget to Benue State Assembly

    Gov Ortom presents N132b 2021 budget to Benue State Assembly

    From Isaac Kertyo Makurdi   

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Thursday presented to the Benue State House of Assembly over N132 billion 2021 budget proposal for consideration and passage into law.    Making the presentation at the assembly complex in Makurdi, the Governor explained that the recurrent expenditure for the proposed fiscal year stands at N90,810,951,749,551.

    Tagged budget of resilience, Ortom noted that the estimated budget was based on the bench mark of crude oil price of N40 dollar per barrel and oil production at 1.86m barrel per day with the exchange rate of N379 to the dollar with an inflation rate of N11.95 percent.   

    The Governor who reviewed the performance of the last year’s budget contended that the budget was amended in response to I’m betting the challenges occasioned by the covid-19 pandemic with the total expenditure of the revised budget at N108 billion.   

    He averred that the success of the proposed next year budget is dependent on improvement in the revenue sharing formula, strengthening of Internally Generated Revenue, IGR collection in the state in collaboration with Local Government councils, blockage of leakages in internal revenue generation by ministries, departments and agencies, and remitting all allocations into government’s single treasury account.   
    Responding, the Speaker of the assembly, Mr Titus Uba assured that the 2021 budget proposal would be given serious attention to ensure it’s quick passage.

  • GIS Would Revolutionalize Land Administration, Others – Ortom

    GIS Would Revolutionalize Land Administration, Others – Ortom

    By Isaac Kertyo Makurdi

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has disclosed that the Benue State Geographic Information Service (BENGIS) established in the state would revolutionalise land administration in line with global best practice.

    He made this disclosure on Wednesday at the inauguration and ground breaking ceremony of the Benue State Geographic Information Service (BENGIS) at the Ministry of Lands and Survey headquarters Makurdi.

    According to the Governor, the project would ensure permanent solution to challenges associated with the acquisition, registration and documentation of land in the state as well as issuance of title documents.

    Ortom maintained that “this project is one of the government’s innovations to improve land administration and value chain. What is being done here is to give you collateral to obtain loan from bank among other things.

    This would facilitate town planning, E-payment and e-collection. It will help improve economic development and enhance effective service delivery. It will promote land administration in line with global best practice, corrects past mistakes”, he explained.

    Also speaking, the Commissioner in-charge of the Ministry of Lands, Survey, and Solid Minerals, Hon. Bernard Unenge averred that without Geospatial Information, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would not be realized, adding that Geospatial Information Technologies have therefore become critical tools to support physical development, economic growth, improved decision making and policy formulation. 

  • Benue state announced date for School Reopening at all levels.

    Benue state announced date for School Reopening at all levels.

    By Abigel udeh/ Benue


    The Benue State Government has approved 21st September 2020, as the reopening and resumption date for all schools in the state. This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Education, Dennis Ityavyar. According to him, both public and private primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions will resume on that day.
    He noted that the resumption is for the first term of the 2020/2021 academic session, adding that the third term for other categories of pupils and students except JSS 3 and SSS 3 has been canceled, including the payment of school fees.
    He also stated that all tertiary institutions in the state will be fumigated and COVID-19 protocols strictly observed.
    Parents are advised to provide face masks and hand sanitizers for their children/wards while the school authorities will provide hand washing facilities and monitor compliance with social distancing in terms of sitting arrangement.
    Schools with a high number of students will have to operate morning and afternoon sessions to avoid congestion, adding that strict monitoring will  be carried out to ensure compliance.
    He said the first term will end  December 18, 2020, while the second term of the 2020/2021 session will commence January 7, 2021, and end in March of the same year.