Relief For Benue Lecturers As Government Releases ₦2.3bn For Outstanding Salaries

The Benue State Government has approved ₦2.9 billion for the implementation of the second phase of the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES 2.0), alongside ₦2.3 billion to settle 12 months of outstanding salary arrears owed to academic staff of tertiary institutions across the state.

The approvals were among the major decisions reached during the State Executive Council meeting held at Government House in Makurdi.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Solomon Iorpev, disclosed that the council also approved the implementation of 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increments for members of the Academic Staff Union of Tertiary Institutions of Benue State (ASUTIBS).

He said the salary adjustments would require an additional monthly expenditure of ₦191.9 million.

Iorpev also announced the approval for the adoption of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) for employees of the Benue State House of Assembly and the House of Assembly Commission.

In another development, the council approved ₦498.9 million as a variation cost for the ongoing rural electrification project covering 12 communities along the Ihugh axis of Vandeikya Local Government Area.

The Commissioner for Rural Development and Cooperatives, Dr. Ortese Yanmar, identified some of the beneficiary communities as Ihugh, Bako, Abaki, Tse-Alia, Mbausu, Ngehe, Hembe and Anhyula.

He explained that the additional funding became necessary due to rising material costs, noting that the project was already about 90 per cent complete. He expressed optimism that the electrification project would be completed before Christmas.

On the NG-CARES 2.0 programme, the Commissioner for Finance, Michael Oglegba, explained that previous interventions had supported rural communities through borehole construction, school renovations, improvements to healthcare facilities, cash transfers and business assistance.

He said the latest approval would enable the state government to sustain and expand the interventions to reach more beneficiaries across Benue.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the Benue State Budget and Economic Planning Commission, Professor Jerome Andohol, disclosed that the council had approved the domestication of the National Chart of Accounts and the adoption of budgeting procedures compliant with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) for local governments.

According to him, the initiative is designed to harmonise budgeting and financial reporting across local government areas, strengthen accountability and ensure more efficient management of public funds.

Andohol further revealed that Benue State’s social register currently contains nearly 500,000 vulnerable households, representing approximately 1.7 million people captured under the NG-CARES intervention framework.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the approvals represent a significant financial commitment by the Benue State Government towards settling outstanding salaries, improving workers’ welfare, expanding social support programmes and strengthening infrastructure across the state.