Ministry Of Information, Culture and Tourism

Headed by: Mathew Aboh
Address: 
Benue State Secretariat, Abu Obe Road, High Level, Makurdi.
PMB 102103 Makurdi Benue State.

Benue State Ministry of Culture and Tourism was recreated on 18th of July 2011.

It is the organ of Benue State Government that is charged with the responsibility of turning around the fortunes of the culture and tourism industry in Benue State.

The primary function of the ministry therefore is to: harness, promote, develop and market this industry thus increasing the revenue base of the state in particular and that of the country in general.

The Benue State ministry of culture and tourism comprises of three departments, two of which are professional departments(culture and tourism), while the third is the department of administration and finance which coordinates the activities of the other departments.

Administration and Finance Department

The department is made up of administration, finance and the store unit, it’s saddled with the responsibility of coordinating all activities of the two professional departments for efficient and smooth running of the ministry.

Its staff are made up of administrative and executive officers, typists, drivers, security men, accountants and the store officers.

The department is further responsible for establishment matters such as appointments, promotions, trainings, welfare and discipline of staff, finance and budget matters, management of transport facilities and other equipments, procurements and distribution of stores and the general maintenance of personnel records.

Culture Department

The department of culture is made up of five sections which are:

  1. Performing Arts section
  2. Cultural Matters section
  3. Arts and Crafts section
  4. Commercial and Research section
  5. Documentation section

Functions of the Department of Culture include:

  1. Identification of cultural values and documentation of same.
  2. Restoration of cultural values.
  3. Preservation and promotion of cultural values.
  4. Marketing of such values to local and international community as a source of revenue.
  5. Advising the government on how best to formulate and implement policies on cultural matters.

As part of its functions, the department also carries out such yearly activities as:

  1. Traditional dances.
  2. The Benue festival of Art and culture, BENFEST.
  3. Children’s Cultural Holiday Camp.
  4. National festival of Art and culture.
  5. Abuja and Calabar festival.
  6. Kwagh-hir Masquerade festival.

Tourism Department

The department is comprises of the marketing and promotion section; transport and travels section; planning, research and documentation section, and hospitality and tourism enterprise section.

The functions of the department are identification of tourism potentials, developing and promoting these potentials and providing a framework for raising the living standard of Benue people.

The ministry has some key revenue acquisition services like:

  1. Benue Hotels
  2. Zoological Garden

The ministry also collaborates with agencies like:

  1. Benue State Agency for Aids Control, BENSACA
  2. World Tourism dayAnd other projects to create awareness

To boost revenue, there is a collaborative effort with the Board of Internal Revenue Services to identify hotels and hospitality centers for optimal revenue tapping.

The ministry collaborates on awareness projects with various agencies, including BENSACA. Additionally, there is a single parastatal under the ministry, the Benue State Council for Arts and Culture, located at Aminu Isah Kontagora Arts Theatre Complex, opposite Radio Benue in Makurdi.

When it was Ministry Of Information and Orientation

Benue State Ministry Of Information and Orientation was created from the creation of the Benue as a state in 1976. It once shared paternity with Internal Affairs, Establishments, Social welfare and culture and tourism until July 2011.

Structure:

The ministry has the following administrative structure headed by a director:

  1. Directorate of Planning, Research, Publication and Documentation.
  2. Directorate of Public Enlightenment and Orientation.
  3. Directorate of Information and Communication Technology.
  4. Directorate of Press and Public Relations.
  5. Directorate of Graphics Arts.
  6. Directorate of Administration and Finance.

Parastatal:

  1. Radio Benue Cooperation.
  2. Benue Printing and Publishing Corporation (publishers of the Voice Newspaper);
  3. Benue Television Corporation.
  4. Benue State Library Board.
  5. Government Printing Department.