…Should Publish Financial Records of the State
My dear brother Terver Akase, you are a very loyal aid to your boss and I admire that so much about you, that’s how it should be. I’ll however want you to take a few steps backwards and look at the following points I’m about to share with you and the rest of my brothers and sisters in the state and maybe you will find some truths that have evaded you as a result of your loyalty.
1. First of all my principal, HE Gov Hyacinth Alia does not need to discredit your boss. Ortom has no credibility before anyone within the state. He lost that a long time ago when he betrayed the trust of the people who voted for him against all odds. I remember the then governor, Gabriel Torwua Suswam vowed that ORTOM would never be governor. He used to say he didn’t know who would succeed him but knew him who would not (Ortom). The electorates took to the streets and proved Suswam wrong. And incase you have forgotten my dear brother, this was basically because of the tears he shed every now and then while addressing Benue people as a result of their plight and they thought, he truly cared for them untill he proved he had other plans other than changing the fortunes of the state. So my dear brother, Ortom lost his credibility a long time ago before Gov. Alia came on board. When you make a promise to a people, to change their fortunes for good but fail to do so in the cause of time, you loose credibility. Alia does not need to push ORTOM, he had fallen before the people, a long time ago.
2. Having said that, I want to agree with you that His Excellency Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia quoted a figure of N359 billion in Okpoga, the headquarters of Okpokwu LG area of Benue state, I was there. What he said was absolutely correct and you have not denied it either. Let me tell you how. Your focus here is on salary arrears. True? That being the case, I want to assure you that nobody tempered with the Salary arrears, it is still at the 187.56 billion as your quote of the chief press secretary indicates. Salary arrears!
But what his Excellency, Gov Alia was referring to was far more than arrears. He was referring to the:
a. Arrears of the state civil servants for over 6months
b. Salaries of LG workers for 11monts
c. Primary school teachers for 11 months
d. Non payment of Pensions of over 72 months (which is over 3years)
e. Non payment of Gratuities for uncountable years.
Haba Terver Akase my dear brother, when you add all of these together is it not over N359 billion as my principal stated?
So, you see my dear brother, what His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia said was correct. And I want to assure you that His Excellency does not have intentions of defrauding the state and so he does not need to lie about figures, neither does he have reason to announce inflated and non existent figures regarding state resources. I recall the slogan of the previous administration was “paucity of funds”. That’s not the case with Alia’s Administration.
3. I find it laughable when you say that Gov. Alia and his people are obsessed with Dr Samuel Ortom. My principal is too busy with the business of state to focus on an The man and his team just returned from a thank you tour around the state. This is very hectic. I’m not sure such a person has Time plotting against another. I’m so happy you said your boss inherited debts in 2015. The question I’ll like you to answer is “what did he do with the person he inherited those debts from?” Maybe I should refresh your memory my dear brother. Your boss, Dr Samuel Ortom did not give his predecessor one minute of breath. Gabriel Torwua Suswam Tingir Dom Agya was in and out of prison for more times than I can count. Accusations upon accusations. EFCC, ICPC and all the anti- graft agencies became the aboad of the former governor. It took the intervention of the traditional council. So you see, if Gov. Alia were to toll the Path of your boss, I’m not sure we will be doing this write up now, the topic would have been different. So rather than accuse my principal of being obsessed with your boss, you should be grateful for the breath of fresh air your boss takes everyday.
4. The biggest joy of every appointee in Alia’s administration is they have a boss that has nothing to hide. I don’t know what informed your conclusion that we recoil into silence whenever a question is put to us on how our government is managing resources of the state. Isn’t it obvious how the funds are being managed? Road projects, other infrastructure development, employment (500 at Teaching Hospital. Consistent payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities. And I can assure you that if Gov. Alia wasn’t held back by your boss (with huge debts, arrears and infrastructure deficits), we would have been light years ahead. How can one see all of these and still claim there has been Zero accountability since 2023? Maybe you need to get in touch with the ordinary man on the street to tell you how well funds are being managed in the state. It’s obvious to everyone. You said this administration has not told Benue people what it is receiving, but you said it’s 3 times what the previous administration received. Are you not a Benue citizen? How did you know your own? Who told you ? Besides my dear brother, these informations are in public domain. I remember that FAAC announces whatever is shared amongst the states on Radio and Television, including Radio Nigeria where both of us served this country. So what ever information you need is already available in the public domain. So we don’t need to accept any challenge from you nor your boss. And I wonder why you are giving your boss credit for taking steps to ease off the debts burden when he was the initiator of Most of these debts.
5. I have not known you for fake news but I’m worried about Your unverifiable statement that the federal government released 50billion to Northen states with insecurity. I did all the researches I could, asked all the questions I knew how to, reached out to both state and federal. I can’t find a document supporting your claim. Please I’ll need you to help me with these documents. Untill then, there is no 50billion released to anyone, but even if there was, there is enough evidence of judicious use of funds in the state.
6. I want to thank your principal most sincerely for the good wishes and kind prayers and wish to assure him that our Benue shall indeed be great again, under the watchful eyes of my principal, the Executive governor of Benue state, His Excellency, Rev Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia. The next 12 months hold alot of promise and I’m sure you will soon become a proud BENUE son. The Governor’s focus, dedication and commitment to the development of the state is unwavering, his love for the state is unyielding.
Surely, our Benue shall be great again!
Solomon Iorpev
Technical Adviser to the Benue state Governor on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communications.
