From Attah Ede, Makurdi

The National Economic Council (NEC) Monitoring and Implementation Committee has commended Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr.Hyacinth Alia, for his administration’s economic transformation efforts, describing the state’s development initiatives as impressive and impactful.

The commendation came when the North Central Economic Team of the committee visited factories owned by the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) in Makurdi as part of its assessment of the implementation of resolutions reached by the National Economic Council at the sub-national level.

Leader of the delegation, Prof. Jerome Andohol, explained that the committee is on a monitoring tour of four states, having already visited the Federal Capital Territory and Benue State.

According to him, the purpose of the visit was to evaluate the extent to which NEC’s benchmarks and resolutions are being implemented by state governments.

Andohol said the team’s inspection of projects across Benue State had been an eye-opener, noting that they witnessed remarkable progress in the humanitarian, health and education sectors, as well as in investment-driven commercial projects.

He particularly highlighted BIPC’s industrial projects, including the Food Basket Brewery,Eco City Estate, the Bensono Concentrate Factory, Benval Juice Factory and the newly acquired Federal  Housing Estate at welfare quarters to be named after the the late head of service, Agbogbo Ode Estate according to the governor, saying the initiatives demonstrate the state’s commitment to industrialization and economic growth.

According to him, the Bensono Concentrate factory alone is expected to provide direct employment for more than 250 people while creating opportunities that have already engaged over 1,000 previously unemployed youths through construction activities and related ventures.

The committee leader also praised the state’s low-cost housing programme, describing it as a significant intervention aimed at improving access to affordable homes for low-income earners.

He commended Governor Alia for what he described as giant developmental strides across various sectors and also lauded the Group Managing Director of BIPC, Dr. Raymond Asemakaha, CFA, for his vision in driving industrialization and attracting investment through the revival of moribund industries in the state.

The Head of Business Development and Strategy at BIPC, Theresa Abeda, alongside other members of the company’s management team, received the delegation on behalf of the Board and Management of the company before taking them on a tour of the facilities.

By David Torough, Abuja

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has urged the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to fully embrace digital technology in the administration of justice to improve case management, records administration and overall operational efficiency.

Akume made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Dr.

He said the adoption of digital tools aligns with the Federal Government’s ongoing drive to modernise public institutions through digital transformation, improved service delivery and stronger inter-agency coordination.

“The Tribunal should continue to embrace technology to improve case management, records administration and overall operational efficiency in line with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda,” the SGF said.

Akume commended the tribunal for its role in promoting integrity, accountability and ethical standards in Nigeria’s public service, describing its constitutional responsibility of adjudicating breaches of the Code of Conduct for public officers as a key component of the country’s anti-corruption framework.

He said the President Bola Tinubu administration remains committed to institutional reforms, public sector efficiency and the rule of law, stressing that strong institutions such as the CCT are essential for sustainable national development, economic growth and boosting investor confidence.

The SGF also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening institutions that promote transparency, accountability and responsible public service in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He called for greater collaboration among government institutions to advance integrity and accountability, assuring the tribunal of the continued support of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation within its statutory mandate.

Akume further encouraged the CCT to deepen engagement with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to improve compliance with ethical standards and constitutional obligations through public enlightenment, training, awareness campaigns and effective enforcement.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Dr. Mainasara Umar Kogo, said the visit was to brief the SGF on the tribunal’s achievements over the past year.

He said the tribunal had implemented far-reaching reforms aimed at strengthening its institutional capacity and improving the delivery of justice.

These included inspection visits to all its zonal offices to assess operational needs, improve performance and address challenges affecting service delivery.

Kogo also disclosed that the tribunal had strengthened collaboration with other anti-corruption agencies and civil society organisations to enhance coordination in the fight against corruption and improve the administration of justice.

He announced that the tribunal had cleared all inherited and pending cases, leaving it with no case backlog, and pledged to sustain ongoing reforms, deepen institutional partnerships and continue delivering impartial, timely and efficient justice to Nigerians.

From Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu

MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) has restored power supply to parts of Enugu metropolis, which witnessed darkness.

Some parts of Enugu metropolis, under the Band A tariff regime, during the weekend witnessed three consecutive days of blackout.

The Head, Communications of MainPower, Emeka Ezeh, disclosed this in a statement he issued on Tuesday in Enugu.

According to him, MainPower wishes to inform its esteemed customers that power supply to the Gariki Injection Substation was successfully restored on Monday.

“This is following the successful resolution of a major fault involving the indoor 11kV breaker at the station.

“The fault, which occurred on Friday, July 17, affected electricity supply to customers served by the Army and Gariki 11kV feeders.

“Consequently, normal electricity supply has now been restored to all affected areas,” he said.

Ezeh appreciated residents and customers for their patience, understanding and cooperation throughout the outage.

He noted that the company remained committed to delivering safe, reliable, and improved electricity services to its customers and residents of the state.

It would be recalled that MainPower, which is a subsidiary of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), is in-charge of electricity distribution in Enugu State.