By David Torough, Abuja

The Acting Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), Prof. Stephen Abah has promised a stronger collaboration with the Memorial Hospital, Ugbokolo for better health services to the people.

Prof. Abah stated this when he received a team of management of the hospital led by the Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director, Dr.

The Vice Chancellor expressed his profound gratitude and thanked the management of the hospital for the visit and described the CEO of the Hospital, Dr. Ogbodo as a long time friend who has a quest for excellence.

On his part, Dr Mark Ogbodo, who is a FUHSO Ambassador and the Immediate Past Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Medical Association, Benue State Branch as well as the Immediate Past Secretary of the Association of the Nigerian Authors, Benue State Chapter said that the visit was to congratulate Prof.

Dr. Ogbodo who described Prof. Abah as a great achiever and mentor to many and whose achievements are commendable, presented to him, on behalf of the Hospital, an Award of Excellence, in recognition of his exceptional achievements and contributions to academic and medical excellence in Nigeria, examplary leadership prowess and in appreciation of his countless courtesies extended to Lydia Memorial Hospital.

He added that the Hospital’s vision is to ensure a complete state of well-being of patients and promote healthy medical practices in all forms with the mission to provide affordable and easily accessible excellent healthcare services through God’s gifted hands in the purest forms is also poised to deliver the best healthcare services to the people.

Other dignitaries at the occasion were the University’s Bursar, Librarian, Registrar and other members of the university management.

The bill to rename the Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi, after the second civilian governor of the state, Rev. Fr Moses Adasu, on Thursday passed second reading during plenary at the Benue Assembly.

The Majority Leader, Mr Saater Tiseer (APC/Mbagwa), said that the provisions of the assembly’s Standing Orders XII, Rule 83, limited the second reading to the general merits and principles of a bill and not its details.

Tiseer said that the bill was aimed at changing the maiden name of the university to Adasu as a mark of honour as the founder of the university.

“In 1992, the second civilian governor of Benue, the late Rev. Fr. Moses Adasu, successfully established the Benue State University.

“He swiftly set up a steering committee led by the late Chief Edwin Ogbu, which ensured the take-off of the university in the 1992/1993 academic session.

“The Benue State University became a reality under the watch of the late Adasu, whose tenure lasted for barely two years before it was truncated by another military intervention.

“32 years after its establishment, BSU has fulfilled the dream of its founding fathers by providing the Benue child with easy access to university education and employment opportunities as well as highly trained manpower.

“Relatedly, the bill for a law to establish the Benue University of Agriculture, Science, and Technology, Ihugh, also passed second reading,” he said.

The majority leader said that the bill was aimed at establishing a professional university in the state as a replacement for the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi.

He said that the federal university has been restructured into a conventional university offering courses in both the physical sciences, arts, and the humanities.

According to him, the proposed university was a timely and transformative initiative.

Tiseer stated that the university would undertake research in modern agriculture, harness local potentials in technological innovations, and partner with advanced universities in other climes.

The majority added that it would and equip the youth with entrepreneurial skills needed to drive economic growth and development.

He said it was in addition to availing the Benue child of more options and access to higher education in the changing world order.

The Minority Leader, Mr Michael Audu, seconded the two motions and the bills second reading.

The Clerk of the House, Mr John Hwande, therefore, read the bills for the second time.

The Speaker, Mr Hyacinth Dajo, in his ruling, referred the bills to the House Standing Committee on Higher Education for further legislative scrutiny. (NAN)

The Benue House of Assembly presided over by its Speaker, Hyacinth Dajo has summoned the former special adviser to Gov. Hyacinth Alia on the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr Dennis Akura.

Akura is to appear before during plenary on Tuesday to explain and refund N1.

The resolution follows a motion moved by Mr Thomas Dugeri (APC/Kwande West) after a report of the ad-hoc committee that investigated the operations and financial records at the local government level covering the period June 2023 to June 2024 that indicted Akura.

Dugeri said that the house requested that Akura should refund the sum of N1.

The lawmaker expressed concern that the reactions of Akura on social media denigrated, maligned, and impugned the resolutions and integrity of the house by calling them unprintable names, claiming that he was not given a fair hearing.

He said that he labelled the house report as not being based on empirical facts and evidence.

Dugeri added that as representatives of the people and responsible house that believed in fairness, transparency, equity, and justice, he humbly requested that Akura should appear before the lawmakers.

According to him, the former adviser is to explain to the Benue people why he cannot refund N 1.78 billion funds he short-changed various local governments for security purposes and compromised the security architecture of the state.

He further stated that all the past local government chairmen who served from June 2023 to June 2024 should equally appear before the house.

The lawmaker stated that they were to appear alongside the directors of general services and administration, treasurers, and security officers of various local governments at the plenary as well to enable the Benue people to establish the veracity of the report.

He warned government appointees against disparaging and spewing unnecessary invective on honourable members who were carrying out their constitutional duties for the interest of Benue people.

They pointed out that in line with the Supreme Court Judgement on Local Government and Financial Autonomy, the house should initiate and accelerate the process of amendment of the Local Government Law.

According to them, doing so would curtail the powers and excesses of the Bureau of Local Government so as to promote the local government financial autonomy.