- The Benue state government has reacted to a media report indicting its officials of graft
- The report had suggested N33 billion local government funds have been diverted for 3 years
- The government says the report is an attempt to smear the hard earned reputation of Governor Samuel Ortom and his administration
The Benue state government has reacted to a media report suggesting N33 billion local government funds have been diverted for 3 years by its officials.
Legit.ng gathered that the report was published by an online news portal (not Legit) recently.
In a statement sent to journalists on Tuesday, October 23, the information officer in the state's bureau of local government and chieftaincy affairs, Ahangba Ayati, described the report is an attempt to smear the reputation of Governor Samuel Ortom and his administration.
He said no funds belonging to the local government councils in the state have been diverted by Governor Ortom or any other government official, contrary to the claim by the publication.
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Part of the statement read: “The general public may wish to note that the bureau of local government and chieftaincy affairs carries out disbursements to local government councils based on approvals by the Joint Account Allocation Committee JAAC, which meets monthly to deliberate on such issues based on the accruals from the federation account.
“The general public may wish to also note that the Benue state bureau of local government and chieftaincy affairs has decentralized the payment of salaries of workers at the third tier. Monies are sent directly to the accounts of local government councils, who then effect payment of salaries of their various staff.
“The accountant of the bureau, Mr. Emmanuel Gbagyo, has neither met in person with the publisher of the article in question, nor has he ever spoken with him. He therefore wonders how the said publisher came across such information, except perhaps, by sheer imagination and desperation to cast aspersions on the Ortom administration.
“We challenge the online publisher to prove his allegations, otherwise, the bureau will seek legal redress.”
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Meanwhile, Governor Ortom has warned thugs demanding money from government contractors or individuals who embark on private projects in parts of the state to desist from the act or face arrest and prosecution.
The governor issued the warning in a statement sent to Legit.ng by his chief press secretary, Terver Akase.
The governor said the warning has become necessary following reported cases of harassment of contractors on project sites recently by some youths in Makurdi.
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Source: Legit.ng
