The Benue State House of Assembly has passed a bill establishing the Benue State Widows Commission, a move aimed at safeguarding widows from harmful cultural practices and exploitative acts, while prescribing penalties for offenders.

The bill, titled “A Law to Establish the Benue State Widows Commission and for Related Purposes, 2025,” was passed during plenary on Tuesday in Makurdi.

Speaking during the debate, Mrs. Beckie Orpin (APC/Gboko), Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Welfare, described the bill as significant, noting that it addresses the challenges faced by one of society’s most vulnerable groups. She said its passage would underscore the Assembly’s constitutional responsibility to protect the weak.

Majority Leader Thomas Dugeri (APC/Kwande West) moved for the adoption of all findings, recommendations, and clauses of the bill. Subsequently, Speaker Alfred Emberga invited the Clerk, Dr. Bem Mela, to read the bill for the third time, after which it was formally passed.

In a related development, the Assembly considered the report of the House Standing Committee on Women Affairs following its visit to the Benue State Rehabilitation Board in Apir.

Mrs. Orpin said the law establishing the board had become obsolete and recommended its repeal. She highlighted that the board’s monthly funding of N100,000 from local government councils was inadequate, resulting in poor infrastructure, lack of instructional materials, and absence of operational vehicles.

Majority Leader Dugeri described the board’s condition as pitiable, citing infrastructural decay and poor feeding of students, and called for urgent intervention. Mr. McClinton Manger (APC/Tarka) added that even the modest monthly contributions were often delayed, stressing the need for government to secure the children’s welfare.

Ruling on the matter, Speaker Emberga directed the Committees on Women Affairs, Business, and Rules to draft a bill repealing the 1996 edict that established the board. He announced that the Assembly had approved an increase in the board’s monthly allocation from N100,000 to N1,500,000, and tasked the Commissioner for Finance with ensuring timely release of funds.

The Speaker also urged the state government to provide a Toyota bus for students and a Hilux vehicle for official use, as well as essential instructional materials to enhance teaching and learning at the facility.

The twin initiatives — establishing the Widows Commission and upgrading the Rehabilitation Board — mark a significant step by the Benue State Assembly in promoting social welfare and protecting vulnerable groups in the state.