The Benue House of Assembly yesterday passed a bill to establish the Benue State Widows Commission, aimed at prohibiting harmful cultural practices against widows.
The bill is also aimed at protecting widows from exploitative acts, as well as prescribing punishment for offenders. The bill, titled “A Law to Establish the Benue State Widows Commission and for Related Purposes, 2025,” was passed during plenary.
Leading the debate, the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Beckie Orpin (APC/Gboko), described the bill as highly significant.
She noted that it addressed the challenges faced by one of the most vulnerable groups in society. According to her, passage of the bill would place the house on a pedestal of fulfilling its constitutional responsibility of protecting the weak.
