Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has rejected allegations by his predecessor, Samuel Ortom, and former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Aondoakaa, that his administration is diverting or embezzling funds meant for the state’s 23 local government councils.
The governor, through his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, described the allegations as “mere propaganda,” insisting that his administration was instead strengthening local governments and supporting them to deliver development projects across the state.
Kula made the clarification on Friday while briefing journalists at the Government House in Makurdi, following comments allegedly made by Ortom and Aondoakaa during a television programme.
According to the governor’s spokesman, the 23 local government councils in Benue are autonomous and their elected chairmen are responsible for implementing development projects within their respective jurisdictions.
He explained that the state government had adopted a collaborative funding arrangement with the councils for some major projects, particularly road infrastructure.
Under the arrangement, Kula said local governments contribute 40 per cent of the funds, while the state government provides the remaining 60 per cent.
He listed several ongoing and completed projects under the collaboration, including the Oju-Konshisha Road, Apa-Agatu-Gwer West Road, Igumale-Agila Road, Mbagwaza Road in Ushongo Local Government Area, Sankera-Chito-Vaase Road and Adikpo-Koti-Vandeikya-Tse-Ke Road.
He added that the state government and local councils were also collaborating on healthcare projects and other social interventions.
Kula cited developments in Guma Local Government Area, the home council of former Governor Ortom, as evidence that local government resources were being deployed for development.
He said the council chairman, Maurice Orwough, had constructed a five-kilometre asphalt road linking Udei and Umenger.
The chairman, he added, was also renovating the local government secretariat road in Gbajimba, with N4 billion earmarked for the project.
In Katsina-Ala, Kula said the council chairman and Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Justin Shaku, had contracted the construction of a 21-kilometre Yooyo Road and renovated the council secretariat.
He further disclosed that the chairman of Ado Local Government Area, Sunday Oche, had earmarked N2.8 billion for road construction and committed an additional N1.2 billion as counterpart funding under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).
According to him, the intervention would also cover infrastructure upgrades and the installation of solar-powered streetlights.
The governor’s spokesman also pointed to projects in Otukpo and other parts of the state, arguing that the level of development across the councils demonstrated that local government funds were being received and utilised.
Kula said the allegations against Governor Alia were therefore unfounded.
“Governor Alia is not embezzling local government funds; rather, he is injecting funds into them. You can challenge the Governor on other fronts, but not on governance because he is keeping his covenant to the people.”
The governor’s spokesman also criticised the political relationship between Ortom and Aondoakaa, describing their alliance as “poison” capable of harming the state.
Kula alleged that Ortom was attempting to bring Aondoakaa into the governorship race “through the back door,” while also questioning Aondoakaa’s record as Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation.
He urged Benue residents to disregard what he described as politically motivated claims designed to undermine the Alia administration.
Kula maintained that Governor Alia remained focused on infrastructure, healthcare and other development initiatives across the 23 local government areas of the state.
