TheNewsGuru

Tag: Benue State

  • Ex-Gov Ortom submits self for probe

    Ex-Gov Ortom submits self for probe

    Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has said he is ready to submit and make himself available for probe and respond to issues bordering on his administration whenever the need arises.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Ortom, who lost his bid for a Senatorial seat on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said this in a statement by his Media Aide, Mr Terver Akase on Wednesday in Makurdi.

    He urged his supporters not to heat up the polity but to remain calm and law abiding in the face of alleged provocation by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

    Ortom appreciated concerns expressed by different people over his alleged harassment through petitions to anti-graft agencies, as well as arrests of his appointees and impoundment of his vehicles.

    The former governor also called for calm and urged those making statements regarding the situation to exercise restraint and not to heat up the polity.

    “I am capable of responding to the issues being raised against me and other officials of my government and I have always made known my belief in the rule of law.

    “I am ready to make myself available to respond to issues bordering on my administration whenever the need arises,” Ortom said.

    He appreciated his supporters and well wishers for their prayers and messages of goodwill.

  • Just In: Benue women block Abuja highway to protest incessant killings

    Just In: Benue women block Abuja highway to protest incessant killings

    Benue State women and youths numbering hundreds on Friday reportedly mounted blockade on Makurdi-Lafia-Abuja highway as they protested the fresh killing of five people in two villages in the Guma Local Government Area of the state by armed men suspected to be herders.

    The blockage of the highway by the protesters made it difficult for travellers to gain entry into or exit Makurdi, the Benue State capital as this led to heavy traffic.

    The protest followed the killing of five people in separate attacks by the armed men suspected to be herders, who were said to have besieged the sleepy rural communities of Ngban where they killed three people Thursday night and another two at Nyian on Friday morning.

    Residents of the affected villages lamented that Ngban, which hosts some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) experienced a similar attack earlier this year when over 30 people, including IDPs were hacked to death.

    The Guma LGA Security Adviser, Christopher Waku, who confirmed the killing of the five persons said, “Our women have trooped out to the Makurdi-Abuja federal highway since 5 am today (Friday) as you can hear from background of the telephone conversation. Right now, they are singing emotional songs and no vehicle coming from either Abuja or Makurdi can pass through to either side.

    The women are protesting the murder of five people killed yesterday (Thursday) night and this morning (Friday).

    Three people were killed at Ngban yesterday night and two people killed at Nyian this morning. The women have said that they are not going to leave the road until the governor comes and talk to them. I’m right now on the road where the women are protesting waiting for Governor Hyacinth Alia.”

  • Benue assets recovery committee  traces gov’t property to Kaduna, Lagos, Rivers, Abuja

    Benue assets recovery committee  traces gov’t property to Kaduna, Lagos, Rivers, Abuja

    In continuation  to recover property belonging to the state , Benue State Assets Recovery Committee has disclosed that the committee has traced some government property illegally auctioned to Kaduna, Lagos, Rivers,Abuja and other places.

    Giving update of activities in an interview with journalists in Makurdi, Chairman of the committee Mr. Hinga Biem vowed to go after those in custody of such property with the view to recover same for the state.

    According to the Chairman, the committee has also  recovered two tractors that were wrongly sold by a staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources who is yet to be identified.

    Biem said one of the recovered tractors was taken to Nasarawa state for private business while the other was first taken to Gwer West Local Government Area before it was later moved to Guma by yet to be identified individual for his personal use.

    He assured that more of government tractors meant for the benefit of Benue farmers that were illegally auctioned to individuals at cheaper rates on the eve of the exit of the immediate past administration in the state as well as other property belonging to the people illegally sold would be recovered.

    He further told journalists that many of the latest models of Toyota Hilux pick up vans sold between 20-30 million naira in the market were purportedly auctioned at the cost of 150,000 naira and 300,000 respectively.

    Mr Biem a former permanent secretary with the state government who argued that in government there was nothing like waving of vehicles to individuals, described the action as illegal.

     

  • Ortom berates Benue governor, Hyacinth Alia for seizing his vehicles

    Ortom berates Benue governor, Hyacinth Alia for seizing his vehicles

    Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has berated his successor, Hyacinth Alia accusing him of giving orders to the Assets Recovery Committee to seize his vehicles.

    According to Ortom, his vehicle alongside others undergoing repair were towed from a commercial workshop operated by London Lines Transport Ltd along Otukpo road in Makurdi on Tuesday.

    This was made known via a statement signed and released by his media aide, Terver Akase.

    Ortom insisted  that the Benue State Executive Council during his administration, gave him and his deputy approval to leave with their official vehicles.

    Akase said, “We are shocked beyond belief at the development which smacks of lawlessness. The media show that followed the incident indicated that the present administration in the state is out to torment, persecute and humiliate the former Governor using every unconventional means.

    “The invasion of a workshop today by members of the Assets Recovery Committee led by one Barrister Tom Uja who were accompanied by security operatives from Government House to tow away vehicles, many of which do not belong to the former Governor, was the height of illegality.

    “When the present Governor set up the Assets Recovery Committee and they made Chief Ortom a target, he approached the court and the matter is still in court.

    “His Excellency Ortom is not the first former Governor to vacate office with the official vehicles allocated to him. His predecessors, former judicial officers, legislators such as the Chief of Staff to the present Governor, Paul Biam, the Assets Recovery Committee Chairman, Hinga Biem and other members of the committee who served in government at different times all left with the official vehicles given to them.

    “Ortom is a law-abiding man who served the state as Governor and has not committed any offense deserving the persecution that the present administration has subjected him to. He will continue to respect the rule of law even in the face of the latest provocation,” the statement added.

  • Ministerial appointment: Benue APC seeks equity, fairness from Akume, Alia 

    Ministerial appointment: Benue APC seeks equity, fairness from Akume, Alia 

    As the Senate awaits the list of ministerial nominees from President Bola Tinubu, a group under the auspices of Benue APC Critical Stakeholders Forum (BACSF) has appealed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume and Governor Hyacinth Alia for fairness, equity and justice in the nomination of candidates for ministerial positions in the state.

    The group in a statement on Thursday, signed by its Coordinator, Chief Denen Akumagbem called for wide consultation with the key stakeholders in the state over the zoning and choice of ministerial nominees.

    They noted such consultations would cement the unity and development of the party and the state and give every stakeholder a sense of belonging.

     

    The BACSF while pledging their loyalty to our amiable SGF and the Executive Governor of Benue State appeal that “We want equity, justice and fairness in our party; and suggest that all zones in the state be treated democratically in the sharing of national positions.

    “Recall that Benue state is made up of two major ethnic groups spread across the 23 LGAs: Tiv and Idoma. While the Tiv controlled 14 LGAs, the Idomas control 9. There are other minority tribes such as the Igede, with 2 LG’s  added to the 7 LG’s of the Idomas totaling 9, Etulo etc. While the Tivs are in zone A and B, the Idomas are in Zone C. And since 1999, the state has had eleven ministers with Zone C leading with five while Zone A and B followed with three each.

    “They are as follows: Sen. Iyorchia Ayu (Zone B), Mr. Stephen Akiga (Zone A), Dr. Jerry Agada (Zone C), Chief Mike Aondoakaa (Zone A), Mrs Grace Ogwuche (Zone C), Prof. Nicholas Ada (Zone A), Chief Sam Ode (Zone C), Chief Abba Moro (Zone C), Chief Samuel Ortom (Zone B), Chief Audu Ogbeh (Zone C) and Senator George Akume (Zone B).

    “For equity, justice and fairness, we are appealing that Zone A should produce the next minister since Zone B has the SGF in the person of Senator George Akume. This will bridge the gap between Zone C and A and B. Let us correct the anomalies brought by the PDP where Zone C produced both senate president and ministers for eight consecutive years while Zone A and B had nothing. While Senator David Mark was senate president from 2007 to 2015 Chief Sam Ode and Chief Abbah Moro were also ministers.

    “Now, with Senator Akume as SGF from Zone B, the minister should come from Zone A, which has enjoyed the position for only three times. SGF is already a member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), therefore, Zone B cannot be minister because it will mean Zone B having two representatives at FEC, which will not be in tandem with the principle of fairness, justice and equity.

    “Zone A parades an array of young and vibrant thoroughbred professionals and technocrats. We appeal to our amiable SGF and our listening governor to choose from the pool of the KWANDE bloc of our loyal members of our great party. Our support and loyalty to this government remains 100%,” the group pleaded.

  • Benue state workers hail Governor Alia for prompt payment of salaries

    Benue state workers hail Governor Alia for prompt payment of salaries

    Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has fulfilled his promise to commence payment of salary to workers from June 25, 2023.

    Recall that the previous administration led by Ortom defaulted in payment of salaries and arrears to Civil servants in the state.

    The backlog of salary arrears was one of the factors responsible for the loss of Ortom-led Peoples Democratic Party in the last general elections.

    However, Alia had, in his Democracy Day broadcast, promised to start payment of salary as from June 25.

    A cross-section of workers, who spoke to our correspondent on Monday, expressed joy and commended the governor for honouring his words.

    A staff member in the Ministry of Works, Tony Msugh,said, “I thank the governor for fulfilling his promise. Do you know that people started receiving alert since Sunday, which some of us never expected?

    “Our prayer is that the state should not have the kind of leader we had in the past eight years.”

  • Benue council chairmen resist suspension by State Assembly

    Benue council chairmen resist suspension by State Assembly

    The 23 Benue local government councils, have vowed to challenge their suspension from office by the State House of Assembly in court.

    The State House of Assembly had approved the suspension of the councils chairmen over alleged misappropriation of public funds.

    But, Mr Michael Uba, the chairman of the Guma local government council and the spokesperson for the chairmen, told newsmen on Saturday in Makurdi that the suspension was illegal.

    Uba, who described the suspension as illegal, saying that the councils chairmen had resolved not to honour it.

    He said that the chairmen who were elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, would not surrender their mandate to the assembly.

    “If we surrender to the unlawful purported suspension preferred against us, we will be doing a disservice to the state.

    “In resisting the impunity, we are doing a duty to the state in line with our sworn oath to discharge the functions vested to our office for the good of the people.

    “We do not recognize the purported suspension of our councils together with the legislative arms of our councils, as such will not comply with it.

    “Our position derives a fundamental base from the incontrovertible fact of our offices being a creation of law as guaranteed under the supreme umbrella of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended in 1999),” Uba said.

    He said that they were elected as council chairmen on April 30, 2022 in an election conducted by the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) and were sworn into office on June 29, 2022.

    He said that the councils were not appointed but were elected by the electorate and were vested with a mandate guaranteed under the state’s law of Local Government Establishment.

    “It is, therefore, not known to us under such law, that we and the entirety of the government at our tier can be sacked in the manner as purported by the state assembly and the bureau for local government and chieftaincy affairs.

    “We equally defer to the judgement of the National Industrial Court holden in Makurdi which barred the government of Benue from taking any action that seeks to tamper with our lawfully recognised mandate as elected council chairmen,” he said.

  • JUST IN: All Benue local govt chairmen suspended

    JUST IN: All Benue local govt chairmen suspended

    Benue House of Assembly has approved the suspension of all the 23 local government (LG) chairmen in the state for financial misappropriation.

    The decision to suspend the LG chairmen was taken on Wednesday during plenary following a letter from Gov. Hyacinth Alia, dated June 14, 2023, requesting the house to investigate the incomes and expenditures of the 23 LG chairmen of the state.

    In the letter, Gov. Alia informed the house that he had received a report on the incomes and expenditures of the LG chairmen from February to April, 2023, as submitted by themselves and wished the house to investigate it for necessary recommendations.

    The Speaker of the house, Mr Hyacinth Dajoh, therefore, set up an Adhoc Committee on June 20, 2023, comprising Mr Peter Ipusu (Katsina-Ala West/APC) as the chairman, Mr Manger Manger (Tarka/APC) and Mr Cyril Ikong (Oju II/APC) as members, to investigate the matter.

    The Committee which was directed to investigate and report back to the house within the shortest possible time, expressed worries over the outright disregard of procedure and the crass mismanagement of local government funds by the chairmen during the period under review.

    The Committee informed the house that there was the need for a more detailed investigation of the operations of the local government beyond the period under review to cover from June, 2015 to  May, 2023.

    The Committee, therefore, recommended the immediate suspension of the Chairmen in all the 23 local government councils and also the legislative councils for conniving with the Executive Councils to mismanage public funds put in their trust.

    After contributions from members in favour of the report, the house unanimously agreed that the chairmen be suspended in order to enable it do the investigation without any interference.

    Ruling, the Speaker directed the chairmen to hand over the affairs of their local government councils, all government properties in their possession, including official vehicles, to the Directors-General, Services and Administration (DGSAs) with immediate effect and proceed on suspension, pending the completion of investigation into their account books and other related matters.

    The Speaker further directed that the Governor should proceed and set up caretaker committees in line with the Benue Local Government law.

    He also requested the Commissioner of Police to ensure a seamless takeover at the various local government  council headquarters without any friction.

  • Abducted Benue Catholic Priest set free

    Abducted Benue Catholic Priest set free

    Rev. Fr. Anthony Adikwu, the Catholic Priest of Otukpo Diocese in Benue state who was abducted a few days ago by unknown gunmen has been set free.

    Recall that some gunmen stormed Ajegbe Awume in Ohimini Local Government Area of the state around 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 15, and went straight to St. Margaret’s parish, from where the priest was whisked away.

    Findings show that the men of the Operation Zenda unit were deployed to track down the suspected kidnappers and they delivered by rescuing the Catholic priest on Tuesday June 20, 2023.

    Confirming the release of the priest, the Police Public Relations Officer for the state command, SP Catherine Anene, said the priest was rescued on Tuesday.

    The command spokesperson said that after getting a tip-off on Friday morning, the command immediately swung into action and deployed men to the area.

    Anene said, “Our team has been in that place for some time chasing after them. It was the pressure mounted on the kidnappers by our team that made them eventually release him.

    “They released him out of pressure.”

  • Benue Gov, Rev Fr Alia weeps over debt Ortom left behind

    Benue Gov, Rev Fr Alia weeps over debt Ortom left behind

    Benue State Governor, Rev. Father Hyacinth Alia has stated that he inherited an empty treasury and a whooping debt profile of N187.56 billion accompanied by accumulated months of unpaid salaries and entitlements of civil servants and pensioners in the State.

    Governor Alia also lamented an alleged massive looting of the Government House in Makurdi by the immediate past administration of Samuel Ortom, noting that he was left with no single official car.

    “The same party that left an empty treasury in the state and ripped off the economic system of the people is now claiming to be standing on high moral grounds to offer untenable and ill-motivated criticisms to undermine the collective wisdom of the Benue populace,” a statement quoting Alia reads.

    Governor Alia in the statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Tersoo Kula, was responding to calls by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State that he should reverse his decision that led to the nullification of all last-minute appointments made by his predecessor.

    “The PDP looted Government House to a point that the new government under governor Hyacinth Alia, met no single car or truck in government house. The governor’s visits to agencies and parastatals have uncovered the highest level of rot ever witnessed in the history of Benue State,” the statement reads.

    Alia regretted that Ortom left the government owing salary arrears of civil servants, arguing that the PDP should apologise to the people of the state.

    “The PDP is not ignorant of the fact that all the appointments and recruitments that were carried out by former governor Samuel Ortom at the twilight of his administration were not done in good faith.

    “Is it not curious that for more than seven years, Ortom could not employ indigents of the state into the civil service, until a few months before the expiration of his tenure?

    “It is even more ironic that the PDP, which is now a crying wolf, left the government house owing salaries of Benue Civil Servants from December 2022 to May 2023. The same PDP administration left salary arrears of five months for state government workers in 2017; 10 months for local government workers in the same year, 2017. Under this same PDP government, pensions were last paid in the year 2021,” the statement reads.

    However, the media aide to former Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Terver Akase, has reacted to the allegation by Governor Hyacinth Alia that there was massive looting of the government house in Makurdi under the previous administration.

    Akase said Ortom is no longer the Governor, and so should not be speaking about issues of governance in the State.

    ”Well, I don’t work in a government house. I don’t know about that. What I do know is that the Benue State Government executive council, before Governor Ortom left office, made a resolution that government officials of the Ortom administration should leave with their vehicles. So, if the Governor had a car, that is, the former Governor and Exco made a resolution that he should go with his vehicle, that’s a different thing; that is Exco’s decision.

    “I don’t know about all the other things because I haven’t been to the government house since we left. I don’t know the veracity of those things you are saying. All I know is that Exco made a resolution that government officials who worked under the Ortom administration should go with their vehicles. Yes, so if the Governor was using a vehicle at that time and Exco said he should go with it, there is nothing wrong with that; it’s not criminal. It is legal because this is the decision of the Benue State Government.

    ”I am not the spokesperson for PDP. I only speak for the former Governor. And the former Governor’s reaction is that he is no longer the Governor. Our people say that when you don’t have clues on the close line, you no longer put your hands there. He is no longer the Governor, so he can’t be speaking about issues of governance in Benue State. Governor Ortom prays for the current Governor and wishes him well”.