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Ushongo Local Government Area

Ushongo local government was created in May 1989 by the Babangida administration.

The local government derives its name from Ushongo Hills located at Ushongo town in Mbayegh District.

Headquarters:

Lessel

Location:

Ushongo local government is located between latitude 70

Boundaries:

  1. North: Gboko Local Government Area and Buruku Local Governments Area,
  2. South: Vandeikya Local Government Area,
  3. East: Kwande Local Government Area, and
  4. West: Konshisha Local Government Area

Population:

  • About 123,166 (26th November 1991 census)
  • About 191,935 (21st March 2006 census)

District :

  1. Atirkyese
  2. Ikov
  3. Lessel Township
  4. Mbaaka
  5. Mbaanyam
  6. Mbaawe
  7. Mbagba
  8. Mbagwaza
  9. Mbakuha
  10. Mbayegh
  11. Utange

Agriculture:

Agriculture is the mainstay of the people’s economy. With predominantly local tools, agricultural products are produced in varying degrees across the local government area. In more cases, such products serve a dual purpose as both cash and food crops. Indeed, just as Benue State is regarded as the food basket of the nation, Ushongo may well pass as the food basket of Benue State.

Agricultural products produced in commercial quantities in the area include:

  1. Fruits,
  2. Grains, and
  3. Tubers.

Citrus fruits and mangoes are the principal products of Ushongo people. Indeed, Ushongo local government is the singular largest producer of citrus fruits in the whole of Benue State.

The large orange plantations in Mbakuha, Mbagba and Atirkyese wards/districts are particularly capable of supporting and sustaining juice factories.

Grains such as:

  • Rice,
  • Maize,
  • Sorghum,
  • Groundnuts,
  • Bambara nuts, and
  • Soybeans

Are also produced by the people in large commercial quantities capable of supporting and sustaining agro-allied industries.

Mineral Resources:

  1. Barites exists in very large commercial quantities in Mbagir and Mbakuta wards/districts.
    Already, such stones are being mined in small quantities for commercial purposes.
  2. High quality marble exists in large commercial quantities at the Ushongo Hills in Mbayegh district.
  3. It is now confirmed that large quantities of clay exists at Anwo Gbor in Mbaaka District capable of supporting and sustaining a ceramic industry. Consequent upon the absence of any such industry, such clay has since time immemorial been the source for clay that supports and sustains local pottery works by women in that part of Ushongo.

Infrastructure:

Although Ushongo is a new local government with a rural background, there exists moderate modern infrastructural facilities in the area. The area, for instance is effectively linked with other local government areas in the state by both federal and state roads. There are also many intra local government roads that are useful for the evacuation of agricultural products from the interior to urban or commercial centres.

The local government headquarters is soon to be hooked to the national grid. With these infrastructural facilities, the local government can conveniently support the setting up of the following industries:

  1. Fruit juice,
  2. Rice mill,
  3. Cassava Processing Industry,
  4. Flour mills,
  5. Ceramic industry,
  6. Stone crushing,
  7. Mining industry, and
  8. Glass industry.

Explore more about Ushongo Local Government:

  1. Succession Chart of Ushongo Chief Executives