The Benue State House of Assembly has urged Gov. Hyacinth Alia to approve an upward review of the salaries and allowances of traditional rulers and ensure that none earn below the N75,000 minimum wage.
The resolution followed a motion titled “Motion to Improve the Welfare of Traditional Rulers in Benue State in Line with the Prevailing Minimum Wage”, sponsored by Mr Douglas Akya (APC/Makurdi South), Mr Peter Uche (APC/Guma 1) and Mrs Beckie Orpin (APC/Gboko East) on Wednesday in Makurdi.
Leading the debate, Akya described traditional rulers as indispensable partners in governance and stressed that they serve as custodians of the people’s cultural heritage, promoters of peace, and mediators in communal conflicts.
The lawmaker further described traditional rulers as mobilisers for government programmes and key stakeholders in maintaining security and social harmony across Benue communities.
He argued that despite the increasing responsibilities placed on traditional rulers, their salaries and allowances had remained grossly inadequate amid rising inflation and the high cost of living.
