NEWS
Diri Presents N689.4bn to Assembly for 2025 Fiscal Year

From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri on Thursday presented a total budget of N689,440,348,916.30 christened Budget of Assured Prosperity for the 2025 fiscal year.Diri who made the presentation during plenary of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, said that implementation of the 2025 Budget will require some level of efficiency and synergy in government activities across ministries, departments and agencies.
Giving the expenditure breakdown of the budget in some of the sectors, Governor Diri said the sum of N178, 761,880,407. 32 was budgeted for Works and Infrastructure; Education N47,111,696,198.40 and Sports N37,850,000,000,00.Others are Urban and Housing Development N13,680,000,000.00; Energy and Power N14,450,000,000.00; Agriculture N16,650,000,000.00; Security N19,000,000,000.00; Health N19,194,188,466.00 and Community Development N10,200,000,000.00.The governor also noted that the overall outcome of the 2025 budget will significantly depend on the level of fiscal and recurrent policy coordination, adding that it was the desire of the prosperity government to pursue a robust development as enunciated in the Assured budget.He said, “We have consciously crafted this 2025 budget in such a manner that we are mobilizing funds for human and capital infrastructural development initiatives, covering the seven core areas of the Assured Agenda which are Agricultural rural revolution and blue economy; sports and youths development; security and peace; urban renewal and rural development; robust health care delivery; energy generation; economic growth and tourism; diversified education towards innovation and technology by ensuring that our recurrent expenditure is kept within limits”.Highlighting some of the projects and programmes executed under the 2024 budget of N489,433,632,374.32 an supplementary budget of N270,800,000,000.00, Diri said his administration has embarked on the continuation of the three senatorial roads, construction of internal road in Yenagoa, building of technical colleges in all local government areas, grants to tertiary institutions, economic welfare and wage award for civil servants and training of youths in agriculture for food security.NEWS
Benue Takes Delivery of 16 Truckloads of Equipment for Food Basket Brewery

From Attah Ede, Makurdi
The Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC), on Tuesday took delivery of 16 trucks carrying machinery for the soon-to-be-launched Food Basket Brewery, located at Akile along the Makurdi–Gboko Road.
The Group Managing Director of BIPC, Dr.
Raymond Asemakaha, alongside top management staff, received the equipment at the company’s corporate headquarters before proceeding to the brewery site.Asemakaha revealed that the 16 containers represent the first batch of the 50 truckloads of equipment expected from the People’s Republic of China.
He noted that the delivery is one of the dividends of Governor Hyacinth Alia’s recent visit to China aimed at fostering industrial investment in the state.
He further disclosed that Chinese expatriates are already en route to Nigeria to begin installation of the machinery, adding that the brewery is expected to commence production by the end of October 2025.
According to him, the brewery will create 200 direct jobs in the first phase and an additional 200 in the second phase, with potential for over 1,000 indirect job opportunities.
The factory, designed with a daily production capacity of 10,000 crates, is also expected to tap into the estimated N1 billion monthly beer consumption market in Benue State.
Dr. Asemakaha expressed gratitude to Governor Alia for his unwavering support to BIPC, pledging the company’s commitment to the administration’s industrialization agenda.
Also speaking, BIPC Company Secretary, Josephat Ioryoosu, commended Governor Alia, the GMD, and the entire management team for their dedication, stating that the brewery project is a strategic step toward stabilizing the state’s economy and creating employment for its teeming youth.
Head of Business Development and Strategy, Theresa Abeda, also louds Governor Alia’s effort for empowering BIPC to drive his industrial revolution, affirming the company’s readiness to help reposition Benue’s economy through impactful investments.
NEWS
Foundation Opens Wellness Center in Benue

From Attah Ede, Makurdi
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), on Tuesday launched its newest Wellness Center in Makurdi, Benue State capital, becoming the second in Nigeria.The center is located on George Akume Road, MakurdiAHF Regional Medical Manager and Co-ordinator Dr.
John Ogboji said the center is a one-stop shop for the treatment of infections. He said AHF has been in Benue State for the last 14 years, explaining that they decided to intervene in STI following the high rate of sexually transmitted infections. Said he, “in the course of implementing HIV services, we observed that some of our clients complained of Sexually Transmitted infections that they have acquired. That is what formed the need to establish this wellness center last year. We commenced operation in December, 2024. We provide services free during the weekdays.”We conduct services on education and give condoms free which serves duo purposes, prevents one from contracting STIs as well as prevent pregnancy. Also women who are eligible and suffering from cervical cancer can come for screening and get early treatment. We also provide family planning services and menstrual hygiene for young people by supporting them with reusable menstrual pads.”The wellness centers are two in Nigeria, one in Abuja and Benue. AHF started in Benue State in 2011 before establishing its corporate headquarters in Abuja. We take health issues that affect the people with utmost importance and the people also care about their health. We have tested over 2500 clients since we started.“We decided to site it on this road because it is a highbrow area close to the International Market, Benue Links Transport Company, the Wurukum Park and the Benue State University. We want it closer to the people, Logo 1 and 2 where most students and youths who are sexually active reside can easily walk in here and access our services”.Dr. Ogboji said the prevalent rate of HIV/AIDS in the State has drastically reduced from as high as 15 percent to 3.4 percent and we are still counting, working hard to eliminate completely by the year 2030. Alot has been done and still needs to be accomplished.AHF Medical Director Dr. Emmanuel Nwabueze said one must not have STI to access their service at the wellness center.He maintained that the AHF Wellness Centers will provide free HIV and STI testing/treatment, offer clients the opportunity to confidentially speak directly to experts on sexually transmitted infections, and promote sexual health screenings as routine healthcare for all sexually-active people”The Wellness Centers are designed to make testing and treatment for STIs accessible, convenient, and free, as well as to encourage regular cervical cancer screenings for all sexually active women”, Nwabueze stated.Acting Executive Secretary, Benue State Action Committee on AIDS BENSACA Wanngo Titus said the State is proud to embrace this initiative, urging the people to make maximum use of the center.NEWS
Electricity Market Law ‘ll Boost Economic Life of Osun – Adeleke

From Ayinde Akintade, Osogbo
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke yesterday described the passage into law of the Osun Electricity bill as a major tool to deepen and boost the economy of Osun state.In his reaction to the passage of the executive bill by the State House of Assembly, the Governor said the bill will open windows of opportunities for investors in the power sector with a lot of off-grid power generation opportunities.
According to him, sources of power generation will be diversified, opened up and regulated to address what he called chronic power supply crisis rocking the state. “The new law will ensure the right energy mix. Renewable energy will complement the traditional energy sources. Osun state is open to new energy sector investors”, the Governor was quoted as saying.Aside from tapping into various power generation sources in the state, the Governor said the era of exploitation and oppression of Osun people by some officials of Ibadan electricity Distribution Company is over.The new law, according to the Governor, provides for the establishment of the State Electricity Regulatory Agency to regulate and monitor the electricity market as well as attend to service delivery issues by the distribution company.He stressed that the commission will be empowered to address complaints of electricity users and act on the activities of the distribution company, warning that the Disco should sit tight now ahead of the eventual take off of the commission.“The regulatory commission will be addressing critical issues relating to customer – service providers complaints. It will grant licenses to power generators among others. The commission will not allow current maltreatment of electricity users in the state.“I will invite all stakeholders to the signing into law ceremony. The business community in Osun state should heave a sigh of relief. The much needed policy framework for the state power sector has arrivedThe governor commended the House of Assembly, the state Ministry of Energy and all those who worked on the draft bill and participated in the consultation processes leading to the passage by the state assembly.