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Tag: Benue Assembly

  • Benue Assembly urges prosecution of doctor who caused woman’s death

    Benue Assembly urges prosecution of doctor who caused woman’s death

    Benue House of Assembly, has called on the state’s Ministry of Health to sanction Dr Michael Ijiko, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Foundation Hospital, Makurdi, for allegedly causing the death of a woman.

    Mrs Hembadoon Agashua, was alleged to have died at the hospital under suspicious circumstances.

    The Lawmakers made the call via a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Mr Saater Tiseer during plenary on Tuesday.

    Moving the motion earlier, Tiseer informed the Lawmakers that Agashua, who was his constituent went to Foundation Hospital for medical treatment on Feb. 14, after complaining of fever.

    He explained that she was admitted and was being infused intravenously while medical tests were carried out.

    The lawmaker claimed that the woman showed signs of improvement on Feb. 15, when she sat on her bed and chatted freely with her visitors around 10:00 am.

    Tiseer explained that the deceased husband said the nurses came for a ward round around 11:00 am and asked everyone except the patient to leave the ward which they did.

    The lawmaker said however, that the deceased’s brother-in-law, who is also a medical doctor, came visiting her two hours after the ward round and discovered that she had died.

    He further told the legislators that when the deceased’s relatives approached the hospital to inquire about the cause of death, the CMD informed them that he was a gynaecologist, so he did not have contact with the patient.

    He said he had called a specialist from the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Makurdi to attend to her.

    Tiseer said the family was asked to come the following day to interface with Ijiko and the specialist, but that the duo never turned up for the meeting

    “Ijiko’s younger brother, Dr Eche Ijiko who was around when the deceased family came also told them that he is a paediatrician, so he did not treat the dead patient.

    “The specialist was contacted by the deceased family and he admitted being called by Ijiko to come and treat a patient, but he was told before he could come that the woman had died,’’ Tiseer explained.

    He said they were shocked to know that Ijiko later documented that Agashua died of cardiac failure which the family found difficult to believe, since she was neither attended to by the doctors at Foundation Hospital nor the specialist from FMC.

    “This was what informed the family’s suspicion that the deceased died of negligence and unprofessional conduct by Ijiko and his staff,’’ Tiseer said.

    After contributions from members in favour of the motion, the Assembly unanimously condemned in strong terms the negligence and unprofessionalism exhibited by Ijiko and the management of Foundation Hospital which led to the avoidable death of Agashua.

    The Legislators also urged the Ministry of Health to set standards for all private hospitals in Benue which would discourage unprofessionalism.

    The Speaker, Mr Hyacinth Dajoh, advised medical practitioners to always place the safety of human lives above financial gains, which he said has become the norm in hospitals.

  • EFCC arrests, detains Benue Assembly clerk

    The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) said it had arrested and detained the Clerk of the Benue State House of Assembly, Torese Agena, over alleged N220m fraud.

    A statement signed by the Publicity Head of the anti-graft agency in Benue State, Nwanyinma Okeanu, said the commission also handed the suspect’s wife and two daughters over to the police for assaulting the security operatives on duty at the commission’s office.

    The statement reads: “The commission on Thursday arrested the clerk of Benue House of Assembly, Torese Agena, for an alleged case of fraud, stealing and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of over two hundred and twenty million Naira (N220,000,000).

    “He invited his wife and children to the EFCC’s zonal office in Makurdi where he is being held. The wife, Mrs. Agena Terngu, and her daughters, Terfa – Mamadu Ngweavese and Agena Suur – assaulted two mobile policemen on duty and bit the third policeman on his left arm. They also tried to run over another with their car while trying to escape.

    “The suspect, Torese Agena, is currently the Clerk of the Benue State House of Assembly and is currently in detention on a valid remand warrant obtained from the Federal High Court, Makurdi.

    “The suspect’s wife, as well as the two daughters who carried out the assault, were handed over to the police for onward prosecution while the main suspect, Torese Agena, Clerk of the Benue State House of Assembly, would be arraigned for prosecution as soon as investigation is concluded.”

  • JUST IN: Tribunal sacks Benue Assembly deputy speaker

    The National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, Benue State has nullified the election of Chris Adaji of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the 2019 Ohimini State Constituency election.

    Chairman of the Tribunal Justice R. O. Odudu, who delivered the lead judgment, held that the margin with which Adaji led Musa Alechenu Ohimini of All Progressives Congress (APC) is less than the number of votes cancelled.

    According to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaration, Adaji led with 397 votes and the Tribunal finds the margin is less than the 1, 056 votes cancelled in the two polling units of Igbanomaje and Odega.

    According to the decision of the court, INEC ought not to have made final declaration without ordering for a rerun in the affected polling units other than declare an inconclusive poll.

    Justice Odudu held that the declaration and return of Adaji without a rerun in Otega and Ogadagba ward is invalid by reason of non-substantial compliance with Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    The court therefore, issued an order for withdrawer of certificate of return issued to Adaji and an order directing INEC to conduct rerun election in the two polling units where elections were cancelled within 90 days.

    Vincent Tortsugh, who appeared for the petitioners, described the decision of the Tribunal as “reasonable,” adding that “we didn’t expect anything other than this.”

    The APC candidate, Musa Ohimini Alechenu described the decision as a testimony of the wishes of the people.

    He said by the decision, the judiciary has reaffirmed that it remains the hope of the people.

    “I want to appreciate the Tribunal for the good job done. Let me appreciate the people of Ohimini for standing behind me during the period of the legal struggle,” Alechenu said while insisting that he will win the rerun ballot.

    Adaji’s counsel, Ken Ikonne said he will consult his client before taking any further decision.

  • APC kicks as Benue Assembly suspends six LG chairmen

    The Benue House of Assembly has suspended six local government chairmen for three months over alleged misappropriation of public funds and gross misconduct.

    The House suspended the chairmen on Monday during plenary in Makurdi.

    The suspended chairmen were those of Oju LGA, Mr. Augustine Okwoche; Makurdi LGA, Mrs. Justina Akange Audu; Kwande LGA, Mr. Terdoo Kenti; and his deputy, Mr. Aondowaser Andrew.

    Others were the chairmen of Agatu LGA, Mrs. Comfort Echoda and her deputy, Mr. Joseph Ngbede; Okpokwu LGA, Mr. Francis Oguche; and Gboko LGA, Mrs. Becky Orpin.

    The House had received a correspondence from Governor Samuel Ortom, accusing the suspended chairmen of misappropriating local government funds, gross misconduct and abuse of office.

    Ortom, in his correspondence, urged the House to approve the suspension of the accused chairmen.

    In its decision, the House unanimously agreed that the chairmen be suspended for three months while they investigate the allegations against them, saying that their offences were contrary to the Local Government Area Law.

    News Agency of Nigeria reports that all the local government chairmen suspended are members of the All Progressives Congress

    The publicity Secretary of APC in the state, Mr. James Ornguga, has described the suspension of its six local government chairmen as “politically motivated.”

    Ornguga told NAN on Monday in Makurdi that the allegations of financial impropriety against them were “smokescreen.”

    “If you say their suspension was due to financial impropriety, how about that of Buruku local government council chairman, who is related to the governor?

    “There are more damaging allegations against her, but the governor has chosen to sweep them under carpet.

    “The chairman of Apa local government had the same issues against him, but as soon as he decamped from the APC to the PDP, all allegations were dropped.

    “The governor is just being vindictive and punitive just because the chairmen refused to decamp to the PDP with him. The man is just revealing his true colours. But, not to worry, he has but a short time to leave office,” he said.

    Also commenting on the suspension of all eight APC lawmakers by the Benue Assembly, Ornguga said the matter was already in court.

     

  • BREAKING: Benue Assembly suspends impeached speaker,Terkimbi Ikyange

    The Benue State House of Assembly has suspended the impeached Speaker, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange for six months.

    He was suspended by 19 members of the assembly who held plenary at the old banquet hall of the Benue State Government House Makurdi.

    The lawmakers had moved to the Government House to hold the plenary after being barred from the Assembly complex by the police.

    Details soon…

  • Benue assembly impeaches APC member as speaker

    The Benue State House of Assembly has impeached Honourable Terkimbi Ikyange, as its speaker.

    Ikyange who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was impeached after a motion of no confidence was moved by Honourable Richard Ujege, who represents Konshisha state constituency.

    The move was backed by 21 members out of the 30-man Assembly.

    The impeachment took place in the absence of the speaker but the Clarke of the House was present at the plenary.

  • Benue Assembly outlaws same sex marriage

    The Benue House of Assembly on Wednesday passed a Bill to prohibit marriage contract between persons of same sex in the state.

    Cited as Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Law, 2018, the bill was passed at plenary after a clause by clause consideration by the Committee of the whole presided by the Speaker, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange.

    According to the bill, “a marriage contract or civil union entered into between persons of same sex shall not be solemnised in a Church, Mosque or any other place of worship in Benue’’.

    The bill also prohibited the registration or recognition of gay clubs, societies and organisations, their sustenance, procession and meeting as well as public show of same sex amorous relationship directly or indirectly.

    It stipulated that any person who entered into a same sex marriage contract or civil union commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 14 years imprisonment.

    Speaking after the third reading of the bill, the Speaker said same sex union was alien to the culture and tradition of the State and has to be prohibited.

    Recall that former President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law the Bill which outlawed same sex marriage in Nigeria on Jan. 7, 2014, in defiance of protests from some countries, groups and activists.

  • Benue Assembly bans used of tyres in roasting meat

    Benue State House of Assembly Friday banned the use of tyres and other leather related materials used in roasting meat across the State in view of the health hazards to meat consumers.

    The Assembly directed that henceforth butchers and slaughterers should use firewood instead of tyres and synthetic materials in roasting meat.

    Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Terkimbi Ikyange announced resolutions of The House after a debate on a substantive motion moved by the member representing Katsina Ala East, Mr. Ianna Jato.

    The House also directed the Ministry of Health and Human Services and that of Agriculture and Natural Resources to effectively regulate the activities of butchers and abattoirs in Makurdi and other parts of the State to forestall health and environmental hazards.

    Earlier, Mr. Jato informed the House that the use of tyres in processing meat by Butchers is a source of concern adding that tyres are made of synthetic rubber, natural rubber, fabric, wire, carbon black and other chemical components which are unhealthy for human consumption.

    According to him, the United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases Registry reveals that tyres contain several heavy metals such as Zinc, Lead and Copper that can be Carcinogenic when exposed to consumers over a period of time.

    All those who contributed to the debate expressed concerned over the use of tyres to process meat and stressed the need to halt the trend.

    Benue State House of Assembly Friday banned the use of tyres and other leather related materials used in roasting meat across the State in view of their health hazards to meat consumers.

    The Assembly has directed that henceforth butchers and slaughterers should use fire wood instead of tyres and synthetic materials in roasting meat.

    Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Terkimbi Ikyange announced resolutions of The House after a debate on a substantive motion moved by the member representing Katsina Ala East, Mr. Ianna Jato.

    The House also directed the Ministry of Health and Human Services and that of Agriculture and Natural Resources to effectively regulate the activities of butchers and abattoirs in Makurdi and other parts of the State to forestall health and environmental hazards.

    Earlier, Mr. Jato informed the House that the use of tyres in processing meat by Butchers is a source of concern adding that tyres are made of synthetic rubber, natural rubber, fabric, wire, carbon black and other chemical components which are unhealthy for human consumption.

    According to him, the United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases Registry reveals that Tyres contain several heavy metals such as Zinc, Lead and Copper that can be Carcinogenic when exposed to consumers over a period of time.

    All those who contributed to the debate expressed concerned over the use of tyres to process meat and stressed the need to halt the trend.