Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has officially flagged off the ambitious reconstruction and dualization of 55.09 kilometres of major road networks in Gboko and its surrounding areas, in a move aimed at transforming infrastructure and boosting economic activities in the state.

The groundbreaking ceremony, held at Lubona Junction in Gboko Local Government Area on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, marks a significant step in the administration’s commitment to quality road infrastructure.

The project, valued at N62.135 billion according to the Benue State Ministry of Works, is targeted for completion within five months.

Governor Alia, while performing the flag-off, emphasized his administration’s focus on deliberate development, stating that the initiative will ease traffic congestion, enhance urban mobility, stimulate commerce, create employment opportunities, and improve the overall quality of life for residents of Gboko and environs.

The scope of the project includes the reconstruction and dualization of several key roads, such as:

– Yandev Roundabout to Lubona Junction

– Captain Dawns Road

– Tor Tiv Roundabout to Lessel Road- J.S. Tarka to Mkar Roundabout (as a dual carriageway)

– Tor Tiv Roundabout (Gondo Aluor) to Mkar and Ameladu Road- NKST Anzua Link Road

– Bristow Roundabout to Tor Tiv Palace (Akaahar Adi) Road

Engineer Tivfa Wombo, Director of Civil Engineering in the Ministry of Works, detailed the extensive works during the event, highlighting the strategic importance of these roads in connecting critical areas within Gboko township and beyond.

The governor expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support, underscoring the collaborative efforts between the state and federal government in driving infrastructure development. Benue State APC Chairman, Chief Titus Zam, also commended the governor for the project, describing it as part of a broader agenda to open up the state through quality infrastructure.

This Gboko road network initiative is noted as the second-longest single road project in the state, following ongoing works on a 57-kilometre network in the Benue South Senatorial District, including the Awajir–Oju road.

Stakeholders and residents have welcomed the development as a timely intervention to address long-standing road challenges in one of Benue’s major commercial hubs, with expectations high for timely delivery and lasting impact on local economies and daily commuting.

• Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia

The Benue State Government has directed private school owners against charging excessive school fees.

The directive forms part of broader reforms aimed at improving standards and ensuring fairness in the education sector.

Dr. Terna Francis, Executive Secretary of the Benue State Education Quality Assurance and Examinations Board (BEQAEB), issued the warning while responding to criticism from the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), which accused the board of heavy-handed regulation.

Francis maintained that fee control is a legal requirement tied to the school approval process.

He said schools must seek government clearance before adjusting fees to prevent arbitrary increases.

•Mrs Temilade Aderemi Okesanjo

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has appointed Mrs Temilade Aderemi Okesanjo as Resident Consultant (Strategy and Communications).

ICPC Spokesperson and Head of Media and Public Communications, Okor Odey,said that the appointment, which takes immediate effect, marks the first time Strategy has been formally integrated into a Resident Consultant portfolio at the Commission, underscoring ICPC’s evolving forward-looking approach to prevention, institutional integrity, and impact-driven governance.

He emphasised that the new role is designed to strengthen the systematic integration of strategy into ICPC’s day-to-day activities, while ensuring that the Commission’s priorities and interventions are clearly articulated and responsibly communicated to stakeholders and the public.

Mrs Okesanjo will support the Commission’s work in two core areas.

On Strategy, she will help ensure that ICPC’s priorities, engagements, and interventions are deliberate, coherent, and fully aligned with its statutory mandate.

On Communications, she will drive clarity, consistency, and credibility in how these priorities are conveyed, with a view to building trust and sustaining public confidence.

Mrs Okesanjo brings over 16 years of combined experience in the public and private sectors to the role.

She began her career in the financial services industry at Ecobank Nigeria before moving into public service, where she served in the Ministry of Transportation as well as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

In 2018, she resigned from the civil service to establish Woodford Consulting Company, through which she has led high-level strategy and implementation advisory engagements for public sector institutions and development-focused organisations.