FIC Report (Benue State) – The Benue State House of Assembly on Friday, 17 March 2026, recorded significant legislative progress as it advanced a critical agricultural bill and recommended the indefinite suspension of the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Sports Marketing and Lottery Board over allegations of misconduct.
During plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Alfred Emberga, Hon.
Manger McClinton Manger (Tarka State Constituency) led the debate on the Second Reading of a Bill for a Law to Establish the Benue State Postharvest Management and Export Agency (BESMEA).
Leading the debate, Hon. Manger described the bill as a strategic intervention to address the persistent postharvest losses suffered by farmers across the state. He noted that although Benue is widely regarded as the “Food Basket of the Nation,” a significant portion of its agricultural produce is lost due to poor storage, weak market linkages, and inadequate processing facilities.
According to him, farmers in the state lose between 30 to 50 percent of perishable produce such as yam, tomatoes, mangoes, and citrus before reaching consumers, resulting in economic losses, reduced state revenue, and threats to food security.
He explained that the proposed Agency is designed to standardize storage systems through the establishment of modern cold-chain facilities and silos across the three senatorial zones, promote value addition through small-scale processing, and provide market intelligence to connect farmers directly with buyers.
The Agency will also support research and training to ensure that agricultural produce meets international export standards.
Hon. Manger emphasized that the establishment of the Agency would boost farmers’ incomes, create employment opportunities in logistics and agro-processing, and attract private sector investment into the state’s agricultural value chain.
He therefore urged the House to support the bill, which was subsequently read for the second time and referred to the House Standing Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources for further legislative scrutiny.
In a related development, the House recommended the indefinite suspension of the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Sports Marketing and Lottery Board, Mr. Michael Upev, over allegations of corruption, abuse of office, and gross misconduct.
The resolution followed the consideration of a report by the House Standing Committee on Finance, chaired by Hon. Dr. Mathew Damkor, which uncovered several irregularities during its oversight of the board.
Findings of the committee revealed that the Executive Secretary allegedly operated as both regulator and consultant through a private company, Upper Premier Service Limited, and configured a payment platform to which he had exclusive backend access.
The platform was reportedly linked to accounts associated with his company.
The committee further disclosed that between September 2024 and July 2025, a total sum of ₦208,524,090 was received through the linked accounts, among other financial infractions.
Following deliberations, the House unanimously called for his suspension to enable the state government to carry out a comprehensive restructuring of the board for improved transparency and efficiency.
Also during plenary, the Benue State Agency for International Cooperation and Development Bill was read for the third time and passed into law after the presentation of a report by the House Standing Committee on Sustainable Development Goals and Donor Agencies, chaired by Hon. Douglas Akya (Makurdi South State Constituency).
Meanwhile, a Bill for a Law to Establish Diabetes Care and Free Treatment under the Ministry of Health was introduced and read for the first time. The bill was presented by Hon. Manger McClinton Manger.
The House reaffirmed its commitment to enacting laws that promote economic growth, strengthen institutional accountability, and improve the welfare of citizens.
VERONICA AZEMBA
For Head of Center Makurdi
