The Benue State House of Assembly has intensified efforts to promote inclusive governance by holding a public hearing on four proposed bills aimed at strengthening service delivery and institutional development across Benue State.
Speaking during plenary in Makurdi, Speaker Alfred Aondoaver Emberga—represented by his deputy, Lami Danladi Lawrence—said the exercise reflected the Assembly’s commitment to passing laws that align with the needs and expectations of residents.
He noted that the public hearing, coming shortly after a similar exercise, demonstrated the legislature’s determination to involve citizens more actively in the lawmaking process.
According to a statement by the Speaker’s Chief Press Secretary, Zape Michael Upaa, one of the proposed bills seeks to provide free treatment for snakebite victims in public hospitals and establish a control committee to coordinate responses across the state.
Emberga described snakebite incidents as a serious but often overlooked threat in rural communities, particularly among farmers, adding that the proposed law would remove treatment costs and improve emergency response coordination.
Lawmakers are also considering a bill to establish the Benue State Road Maintenance Agency (BENROMA), alongside another proposal to create the Forestry, Mines and Solid Minerals Management Commission.
A fourth bill under review seeks to repeal and re-enact the Benue State Local Government Law of 2007 to modernise local government administration, strengthen accountability, and align grassroots governance with current legal and administrative realities.
The Speaker said the public hearing was designed to gather input from traditional rulers, civil society organisations, experts, and members of the public, assuring that all memoranda submitted would be carefully reviewed by relevant committees before final passage of the bills.
In his remarks, Majority Leader Thomas Dugeri described the exercise as a vital component of democratic governance rather than a routine legislative procedure.