The Benue State Executive Council has approved free snakebite treatment centres across the state’s three senatorial districts.
It also approved about one-point-six billion naira to settle health workers’ hazard allowance arrears and implement revised salary structures.
The decisions were announced alongside approvals for pilgrimage sponsorship, budget adjustments and participation in a joint security initiative.
General hospitals in Katsina-Ala, Gboko and Otukpo have been designated as centres for free snakebite treatment.
The Benue State University Teaching Hospital will serve as the central referral facility.
Briefing journalists at Government House in Makurdi, members of the State Executive Council said the intervention would support farmers and rural residents exposed to snakebites.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Ogwuche, also said the state had heightened surveillance following a reported Ebola case in Abuja.
He said the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre had been activated, with isolation wards ready at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, the Federal Medical Centre in Apir and the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo.
Council also approved about one-point-six billion naira for hazard allowance arrears and revised salary structures for personnel under the State Hospital Management Board.
The adjustments cover the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure.
A further one-point-six-nine billion naira was approved to sponsor 195 pilgrims and officials for the 2027 Hajj.
The Director-General of Budget, Professor Jerome Andohol, said the 2026 budget remained at 695.01 billion naira, with funds reallocated internally to priority projects.
He also reported an improvement in the state’s Fitch credit rating from B-minus to B, attributing it to greater fiscal transparency.
In sports, council commended the basketball team of Government Secondary School, Gboko, for winning a national secondary school championship.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Solomon Iorpev, also announced Benue’s participation in a joint northern states’ security initiative following the North-Central Security Summit.
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Editor: Ada Ononye
