By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Benue State House of Assembly has approved the downward review of the 2024
supplementary budget of the state by N23.5 billion from N170.8 billion.

The supplementary budget which brought the state’s 2024 fiscal estimate from N225.7billion to N396.6billion was earlier approved by the Assembly in September.

The House approved the slash Monday, during plenary presided by the Speaker, Hyacinth Dajoh, following a correspondence from Governor Hyacinth Alia.

In the correspondence read on the floor of the House by the Speaker, the Governor explained that the review became necessary to enable the government free funds that would enable it accommodate salary adjustments in line with the new minimum wage.

He stated that “the downward review of the supplementary budget will help ensure that the government remains financially responsible while also meeting the legitimate expectations of workers who are struggling with the rising costs of living.

“And it will ease the implementation of the new minimum wage structure and also send a positive signal to the public that the government is committed to balancing fiscal prudence with social equity.”

During plenary, four bills also pass first reading on the floor, these were a bill to rename Benue State University Makurdi to Reverend Moses Orshio Adasu University; a bill for the establishment of Benue State University of Agriculture, Science and Technology Ihugh Vandiekya Local Government, a bill for a law to amend free and compulsory basic education and a bill for a law to establish a task force on Quality health care and prevention of quackery in Benue state.