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Tag: Benue

  • Benue to partner old boys to restore college

    Benue to partner old boys to restore college

    Governor Samuel Ortom has promised to help the famous Government College Katsina-Ala to recover land it lost to encroachment.

    Ortom also promised to release funds to the school that has produced many prominent personalities from the north as part of plans to restore the institution in partnership with the Katsina-Ala Old Boys Association (KAOBA).

    The governor spoke in response to an appeal by the KAOBA President, Dr Haroun Adamu, to help the college to recover its landed property and construct a parameter fence at Centenary Convention of the College organised by KAOBA last Saturday.

    Speaking at the event held in the school, Ortom described the school as the foundation of knowledge in the Northern Nigeria and praised KAOBA members for their unwavering contribution to its growth.

    He said his administration was committed to developing the education sector, informing why he has trained 10,000 teachers and has plans to renovate all secondary schools and equip them with modern facilities.

    Governors of Taraba and Nassarawa states, Dickson Isiaku and Alhaji Tanko Almakura also pledged to continue to support the school whenever they were called upon.

    Chairman of the occasion, General Theophilus Danjuma (retd), an old boy, called on affluent KAOBA members to sustain their contribution to the growth of their alma mater despite hard times.

    On his part, Principal of the college, Mr Stephen Gber, reeled out some development efforts since he came on board one of which was the restoration of accreditation by NECO.

    He however decried the reduction in the population of pupils and inadequate facilities, calling for government’s intervention.

    The convention drew participants from various parts of the country.

     

  • Benue tops basic education devt in Nigeria

    Benue now ranks first among other states in the payment of marching grants for execution of projects in primary schools.

    The Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, (UBEC), Alhaji Suleiman Dikko, stated this during a courtesy call on Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi.

    Dikko lauded Ortom for ensuring the payment of marching grants and intervention in outstanding issues between striking primary school teachers and government despite the state financial challenge.

    He said going by the determination and pace at which the Ortom administration is addressing issues affecting education and other sectors, the future of the state is bright.

    Dikko, who said he was in the state as a representative of the Federal Government in basic education development, expressed the concern of President Muhammadu Buhari over the falling standard of education in the country, particularly at the primary level.

    He charged stakeholders to be committed to the implementation of government’s education programmes.

    He said basic education development programme focuses on girl-child education, out-of-school-children syndrome and the almajiris, to give them western education alongside vocational training, and overall make them relevant to themselves and the society.

    Responding, Ortom, represented by his Deputy, Benson Abounu, assured Dikko of government’s support.

    He admitted that reading culture was disappearing, noting that this was why his administration keyed into the e-Library project of UBEC by establishing one at the Benue State University among other institutions in the state.

  • Power relief in Plateau, Bauchi, Benue, Gombe

    Power relief in Plateau, Bauchi, Benue, Gombe

    Years of epileptic electricity may be nearing an end as four northern states get pre-paid meters and transformers, reports YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU

    Like everywhere else in the country, constant electricity supply has been hard to achieve for decades in Plateau, Benue, Bauchi and Gombe states, leaving residents with sighs and gasps. Now, that seems about to end. In Jos, the Plateau State capital and headquarters of the zone, no fewer than 130,000 pre-paid meters and 400 transformers were displayed for immediate distribution to the states. There were other electrical appliances there to boost power in the zone.

    It was the launch of electricity  facilities supplied by the Jos Electricity Development Company (JED), an independent power firm. It was an event which raised hopes of improved power supply across the states.

    The meters came in single and three phases.

    The Minister for Housing, Works and Power, Babatunde Fashola was represented at the event by a senior staff of the ministry, Mr. Bako Muhammed.

    It was an opportunity for the minister to prove to Nigerians that the privatisation of the power sector was the best option for the country and that the investors who took over the sector in all the zones are determined to do business by making sure electricity gets to every home in every village across the country.

    The minister appealed to Nigerians to exercise a little patience over the recent shortfall in power supply as the current administration intensify efforts to proffer genuine and permanent solution to the challenges.

    The minister said, “Government appreciates the challenges Nigerians are facing as a result of the shortfall in electricity supply in the country, government also shares the pains associated with insufficient electricity in the country. However, government is appealing to all Nigerians to remain patient and give government a little time because government is coming up with genuine and permanent solutions to the energy crisis.

    “The ongoing reforms in the energy sector is a genuine one that will bring about constant electricity supply to every homes in this country, but a little more patience from all Nigerians is all government needed to concentrate on plans to bring about the lasting solution.”

    The minister called on all the investors in the power sector to be committed and transparent in implementing their own part of agreements for the benefit of electricity consumers in the country. The call has become necessary because Nigerians expect nothing less than quality service from the electricity distributing companies all over the country.

    In a welcome address, Managing Director and Cheif Executive of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED) Muhammed Gidado Modibo said, “the company is injecting N50 billion into the power sector to ensure consumers in the Jos zone enjoy excellent services of the company.

    Gidado said, “The official flagging off of the distribution of 130,000 pre-paid meter and 400 transformers to consumers is a demonstration of our commitment to provide efficient electricity distribution service to people of the zone. This is also a guarantee to our consumers in the zone that in the next few months power supply will change for the better, there will be improvement in electricity supply to every homes within the zone” said Gidado

    He said, “We took over electricity distribution in the zone with a commitment to revamp the company and improve the quality of service within its franchise area of Plateau, Bauchi, Benue and Gombe states.

    “We planned to install 180,000 meters by the end of 2016, already we have taken delivery of 13,000 of those meters and we have commence distributions and installations for our co stompers.

    “JED will also make it easy for our customers to pay their bills by implementing the online vending systems for all pre-paid meter to ease the hassle of going to our cash office to pay their bills.

    In a remark, Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong expressed appreciation to the company and called on private investors to take advantage of the improve power supply in the zone to invest in the state. He said, “It is power supply that drive economic fortunes of any society and now that JED has taken giant step to guarantee steady power supply, I’m expecting investors to start trooping to Plateau state for investment.

    Lalong who urge communities to take responsibility of protecting electricity facilities in their environment against vandalism by criminals applauded the federal government for providing the regulatory framework to stabilize business of the energy sector.

    Former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Yayali Ahmed who chairs the company’s board of directors was also at the event to ensure it works according to plan.

  • Benue to make law for establishment of ranches

    Benue to make law for establishment of ranches

    A Bill that will make it compulsory for cattle owners in Benue State to rear them in ranches will soon be forwarded to the House of Assembly.

    Governor Samuel Ortom, who spoke yesterday when he visited victims of herdsmen attacks in Logo, Buruku and Tarka councils, said the law would make it illegal for herdsmen to roam with cattle and graze outside ranches.

    He said ranches remained the solution to clashes between farmers and herdsmen and advocated collaborative efforts between states and the Federal Government for their establishment.

    The governor sympathised with those who lost loved ones and property during the attacks, as well as those displaced.

    He promised that the Security Council would take decisions that would ensure the return of those displaced.

    According to him, the 20 pickup vans which the state government, in collaboration with the local governments procured, would be given to security agencies to facilitate surveillance and security.

    Members of the executive and security councils, as well as Speaker Terkimbi Ikyange accompanied Governor Ortom during the visit.

    Relief materials were given to displaced people.

  • Photo: Health intervention for children in Benue

    Photo: Health intervention for children in Benue

    CHILDREN AT THE APA IDPs CAMP DURING A PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMME ON CHILD HEALTH IN APA LGA OF BENUE STATE ON MONDAY
    CHILDREN AT THE APA IDPs CAMP DURING A PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMME ON CHILD HEALTH IN APA LGA OF BENUE STATE ON MONDAY
    A MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNOLOGIST OF LIVE HEALTHY ORGANISATION (LHO), MR ARINZE MBADIKE, CARRYING OUT MALARIA TEST ON CHILDREN AT THE APA IDPs CAMP DURING PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMME ON CHILD HEALTH IN APA LGA OF BENUE STATE ON MONDAY
    A MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNOLOGIST OF LIVE HEALTHY ORGANISATION (LHO), MR ARINZE MBADIKE, CARRYING OUT MALARIA TEST ON CHILDREN AT THE APA IDPs CAMP DURING PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMME ON CHILD HEALTH IN APA LGA OF BENUE STATE ON MONDAY
  • Sad, sorry tale of Otukpo rice mill

    Sad, sorry tale of Otukpo rice mill

    AMOS ABBA writes on the dilapidating state of Benue’s Otukpo rice mill; a once burgeoning enterprise now cast in despair and under productivity.    

    In the hot and humid sun of the Benue region, building number 2, located within the premises of the popular Otukpo rice mill looks undignified.  Wearing a rusted corrugated roof which bears the insignia of old age, its deserted parking lot reflects the sorry state of a rice mill created over 50 years ago for commercial purposes.

    The scanty flow of customers in and out of the building does not typify the flurry of activities that usually welcomes the peak of the harvest season when paddy rice was milled and processed at the mill in the past.

    Valentine Egwa was working on a faulty rice huller, a machine that removes husk from paddy rice when the reporter met him.  A graduate of psychology from the University of Jos, Egwa’s failed attempt to clinch a white – collar job compelled him to get involved in the production process of rice at the mill since 1997.  Ever since acquiring rice hullers some years ago, he has become an employer of labour at the mill. However, Egwa is quick to renounce the traditional practices involved in the trade.

    He said: “The problem affecting Otukpo rice mill is the crude methods used to process rice locally. This makes the rice not to be stone free, making customers prefer imported rice to locally processed ones”.

    Records of observation at the mill confirmed Egwa’s assertion. Many of the hullers used in processing the rice are aged and archaic, with many having been in existence as far back as 80 years ago. The poor facilities make it impossible for the mill to compete with marketers of foreign rice.

    Otukpo rice mill with its sketchy history is arguably the first commercial rice milling plant in West Africa, set- up and managed by the defunct Idoma technical trading company (I.T.T.C). Located in Otukpo local government area of Benue state, the mill was created to provide gainful employment opportunities to the Idoma- speaking people of the middle belt and Benue state in particular.

    At the time the mill was established, projections were set that Otukpo would be a commercial nerve center in the middle belt region of the country. The hope of the projection was hinged on the fact that the mill would attract traders from different parts of the country to Otukpo for the purchase of its locally processed rice. The rice mill once boasted of a staff strength of 3,000 people involved in the different stages of rice processing, working day and night, equipped with over 200 milling engines spanning over 20 hectares of land.

    It was the largest employer of labour in its heyday in Otukpo and served as a veritable source of livelihood to many people. But those were the past glories; adversity weighed in on Otukpo rice mill in the late nineties.

    Undermined by decrepit infrastructure, under-utilized labour force and under-performance; major customers from different states across the country no longer patronized the mill. The long distance involved in transportation of the rice products also contributes in no small measure to the dwindling fortunes of the mill.

    Rice huller at Otukpo rice mill processing rice.
    Rice huller at Otukpo rice mill processing rice.

    There is evidence to suggest that the now decrepit mill used to be a booming enterprise providing jobs for young people and women.

    Samuel Ochigbo, a resident in the area reminisced about the mill when it was still booming.

    “The rice mill provided jobs for people in the area. They were those selling fire wood to the millers and those providing water for pay. Everyone, both young and old had something to do. The rice chaff usually gathered was very high from the ground. It was a sight to behold until things began to decline steadily.”

    With the federal government’s position on banning the importation of foreign rice; there appears to be prospects for local millers in the country as government’s expenditure would be channeled to utilizing the production capacity of the various rice millers across the country.

    However, some rice farmers are not optimistic as there appears to be virtually no plan to strengthen and boost local production.

    “You cannot ban importation of rice by legislation and expect everything to be fine. If certain steps are not taken to position the local millers to bridge the demand-supply gap of local production of rice, then consumers will face the horror of skyrocket prices of local rice if there is a total ban,” Valentine Egwa pointed out.

    Millers in Otukpo rice mill face serious hurdles in meeting the basic requirements of local rice production because certain critical variables are not available. The mill does not generate its own power so when public power supply is interrupted, commercial activities in the mill grinds to a halt. Workers in the mill rely on water tankers sourced from neighbouring suburbs of Otukpo town like Otobi and Ochobo. The water does not come cheap; it is sold at exorbitant rates especially during the dry season.

    James Iduh, a trader at the mill also highlighted some of the problems faced by workers. He urged government to provide more transformers to ensure access to electricity at full voltage as well as provide pipe borne water to help reduce the cost of the production of rice.

    Furthering, he said:  “We have been introduced to several co-operative societies to secure loans to improve our business but nothing is forthcoming. If government can assist us, it will go a long way in restoring the mill back to life.”

     

    Rice workers at risk  

    A worker at Otukpo rice mill washing paddy rice.
    A worker at Otukpo rice mill washing paddy rice.

    The physical demanding nature of the activities involved in the production of locally processed rice has affected workers productivity and exposed them to serious health risks.

     

    Emmanuel Obute, a final year student of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi whose palms have turned coarse as a result of exposure to the fire involved in the process of cooking rice in the mill called on the government to come to their aid, saying there should be an endowment fund to cater for those injured in the course of working on the mill plant.

     

    Also, other young people involved in the temporary casual works in the mill to aid their immediate financial needs see their job not only as underpaying but disdainful.

    David Baba, who had worked intermittently for six years at the mill on a part-time basis while as a student disclosed that it is difficult to return to  the  mill to work, considering its present state at a
    time when locally processed rice is no longer patronized.

     

    “Government should provide modern rice milling engines that separate the rice from stones at subsidized rates to Otukpo rice millers to keep them gainfully employed. This will make young people interested in the business”, he submitted.

  • ‘We paid Benue’s share proceeds to bureau de change’

    ‘We paid Benue’s share proceeds to bureau de change’

    Federal High Court in Abuja heard yesterday how ex-Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam and former Finance Commissioner Omadachi Oklobia made a stock broking firm to divert over N3 billion from the over N9 billion.

    The amount was realised from the sale of the state’s shares into a private account owned by a bureau de change, Famfash Resources.

    Suswam and Oklobia are being tried for allegedly diverting over N3 billion realised from the sale of the state’s shares while they were in office.

    Yesterday, a portfolio manager with a stock broking firm, Aluyi Victor, told the court that Suswam and Oklobia authorised his firm to transfer N3,111,008,18.51k of the share proceeds into the Bank account of Famfash Resources.

    Victor, the third prosecution witness, said his company was told that the account was a project account of the Ministry of Finance.

    The court was forced to suspend proceedings when the air-conditioning system in the court room stopped functioning and the environment became uncomfortable.

    Parties later agreed to return on March 22.

  • Tracing the roots of Benue State looting spree

    Tracing the roots of Benue State looting spree

    It certain points between October 2013 and early 2015, while hundreds of primary school teachers in Benue State waited endlessly for their monthly salaries, some officials of the state’s Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs paid N18.7b meant for teachers’ salaries into a mysterious fixed deposit account with a first generation bank in Makurdi.

    Till date, the ownership of the account (number 1017993231) has remained unresolved as the bureau’s current Permanent Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Ikpe, in his testimony before an investigative commission, appealed that a former Special Adviser, Mr. Solomon Wombo and the then Permanent Secretary, Mr. Asen Sambe, should be invited to give the required clarifications.

    Without doubt, members of the top echelons, beneficiaries and political associates in the PDP-controlled George Akume and Gabriel Suswam administrations now dominate the two major political parties in the state.

    Many top guns on either side of the political divide in the state are now literally in a fix because of the unprecedented nature and scope of assignment undertaken by a probe panel. No doubt, the findings of the panel and the state government’s pattern of implementing its recommendations are bound to stir further storms. Already, a gale of reactions has been set astir in the state.

    In its 240-page report submitted to the state government on February 5, this year, the Justice Elizabeth Kpojime Commission of Inquiry that investigated the N1. 21 trillion recommended that 52 individuals and 10 corporate bodies should refund over N107 billion to the coffers of the state government. It also recommended deeper investigations and possible refund of over N44 billion from transactions they found to have violated laid down financial guidelines.

     

    Correcting past mistakes

    On May 29, 2015 when Samuel Ortom became governor on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), his inaugural address eulogised his predecessor whom he addressed as “Rt. Honourable, Dr. Gabriel Torwua Suswam” and tacitly warned, saying “Whatever you did right will be sustained; and whatever is lacking in what you did shall be boldly corrected.”

    The ‘bold correction’ seems to have found expression in Ortom’s decision to inaugurate three committees to review the activities of the Suswam administration. One was a judicial probe headed by Justice Elizabeth Kpojime of the Benue State High Court. Kpojime’s 7-man commission was asked to review all monies that accrued to the state between 2007 to 2015.  Another panel focused on assets verification was headed by the former Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Moses Atagher while Charles Avul’s panel was asked to look into all contracts awarded by the Suswam administration.

    Shortly afterwards, ex-Governor Suswam approached the State High Court with two suits to stop the various panels’ work. In suit No MHC/1049M/15 and MHC/1050M/15, the former governor got a temporary relief when the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Iorhemen Hwande granted his ex-parte motion that halted the proceedings of the commission for about four weeks. However, on November 9, 2015, Justice Adam Onum dismissed the two suits for lack of merit.

    As far as Suswam was concerned, the entire probe of his eight-year tenure was predetermined to tarnish his image and reduce his political relevance. He said members of the panel were partisan because they were mostly from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said in a statement in Abuja that he was not surprised at the recommendations of the commission. The ex-governor said when the commission was inaugurated, he complained about its partisan composition.

    According to him, “The recommendation that I and 51 officials who served in various capacities and 10 corporate organizations should refund N107billion to the Benue State Government is laughable, unrealistic and the testimony of political witch hunt as no such money could have been taken out of government treasury under any circumstances during my stay in office.

    “I want to make it abundantly clear that no such financial improprieties as contained in the report existed in the administration I superintended over. These figures are non-existent and are a product of the imagination of the authors of that report.”

    He said the report had proven right his earlier suspicion that Governor Samuel Ortom, was desperately looking for any flimsy justification to ridicule him before right-thinking members of the public for political gains.

    Suswam added: “The probe panel was a wild goose chase. How could the state government probe all the eight years of our administration from the very first day to the last day in office? Does it mean everything we did in office, as an elected government with the popular mandate of the people was wrong? Does it mean we didn’t have the mandate as an elected government to execute projects or deliver on our promises?”

     

    Indicting APC

    However, some are of the opinion that the panel may have even ensnared top members or sympathizers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the state who contributed towards Samuel Ortom’s victory.

    For instance, Ortom’s Special Adviser on Rural Development, Tsenongo Abancha was among those required to refund N500 million SME funds allegedly withdrawn from the Bank of Industry and shared out to highly-connected political elites.

    There is also Andy Uwouku, a retired permanent secretary and former governorship aspirant who is being asked to refund N85,583,348.00, said to have been misappropriated from local government pension funds.

    Andrew Ayabam, a former Executive Chairman of Benue State Board of Internal (BIRS) who is currently a Director at the Federal Inland Revenue Service, (FIRS) and one of his aides are being asked to refund N252,675,404.32 paid for a contract alleged to have been illegally awarded to a company, Focus Prospectus. Another refund of N49,044,675.00 said to have been misappropriated at Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) is also stated.

    Even at the risk of tearing his own political party apart, Ortom stubbornly justifies the probe.

    “Over one trillion came to the state within the space of eight years that we’re talking about and over N200 billion was not accounted for. Then you can begin to appreciate why we have salary arrears, pensions and outstanding gratuity …

    “You can now appreciate why you have contracts and jobs that were done that are unaccounted for and not paid to the tune of over N69 billion. You can now see why we are still having challenges; you can see why civil servants who have retired are not receiving their gratuity and pensions. You can now see why the debt profile of the state went that high and you can now understand why some people are desperate to discredit this government for trying to bring to light what they did in the past,” Ortom had told reporters in the state.

    Indicting PDP

    Even though Governor Ortom came from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by far the most affected by the probe are his former political associates in the party. His immediate predecessor, Gabriel Suswam leads the pack of those being asked to refund head-spinning figures said to have been part of dubious expenditures and misappropriations. Several of Suswam’s appointees, including civil servants that held key positions in his administration are also under the searchlight of the Kpojime panel.

    They include Solomon Wombo, Omodachi Oklobia, Emmanuel Atini, Asen Sambe, Isaiah Ipevnor, Paul Biam, Aza Biam, Maria Iyortyom, Michael Oko Agbam, Miss Ajuma Olokpo and Abel Musa (a GT Bank staff). Others are Mohammed Kabir Rago, Terna Kester Ikyenge, Terfa Atoza Hindan, Terna Iyorkyaan, Christian Aba (aka Mad Lion), Sunday D. Umoru, Ruth Ijir, Joseph Kpaapka, Senator David Mark’s son-in-law, Dr. Innocent Onuh and many others.

    Some of the ten corporate bodies fingered in the alleged looting of Benue State resources are also suspected to belong to some of them.

    Senator Mark on his part has successfully weathered unusual storms in the state’s political drama but his son in-law, Innocent Onuh, a medical doctor who was chairman of Otukpo local government for eight years and then appointed as caretaker chairman under the administration of Suswam, would have to further prove himself.

    In its report, the Justice Kpojime panel indicted Onuh alongside Kester Ikyenge, David Sevav, Mrs Owakoyi Ehiaruwa, Isaiah Ipevnor, Emmanuel Atini, Asen Sambe, Sunday Mark Eche, Iyoryue Yajir and others for alleged involvement in the unusual movement of N4,230,953,000.00 from the state’s local government funds into an Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) account.

    “At the JAAC meeting of July 2009, a standing monthly deduction of N2million from each local government council amounted to N46million was approved by the JAAC. However,  some excess deductions were illegally made and paid into ALGON account for  cash withdrawals which have not been accounted for,” the commission stated.

    It went further to state that the deductions paid into the ALGON account stood at N4,230,953,000.00 between July 2009 and May 2015, adding that Onuh, Sevav (both were council chairmen of Otukpo and Ukum local governments respectively) alongside Andrew Ayande, withdrew N1,510,100,000.00 (One billion, five hundred and ten thousand Naira) between February 2, 2011 and May 26, 2012.

    Out of this amount, N552,000.00 was actually approved by the JAAC leaving out N958,500.00 which the commission said was illegally withdrawn without approvals.

    Consequently, the commission recommended that Dr Onuh should alongside the former Special Adviser on Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs to the governor, Solomon Wombo, Emmanuel Atini,  Isaiah Ipevnor and David Sevav should jointly and severally refund N958,500.00.

     The Commission also noted that shortly before the last administration left office, “aggressive withdrawals were observed on the bank account of ALGON at the twilight of the past administration, including a sweeping transfer of N20 million from the account to one M/S Ralista Ventures for an unknown purpose.”

     It remains to be seen, what the implications of the findings of the Kpojime Commission harbours for both Governor Ortom’s administration and those indicted along with his predecessor, Suswam. The only thing that is not in doubt is that there would be short and long-term implications, the scope and depth of which one cannot immediately predict.

     The Kpojime Commission which was inaugurated on August 11, 2015 noted that critical avenue for international development funding were never explored; that internally-generated revenue was not something that the state and local governments never bothered about, and; that the state got N282.1from federal statutory allocations, N56. 2billion from VAT, N35.8billion from Excess Crude Account, N2. 5billion from Ecological Funds, N5. 3 billion from MDGs, N14. 2 billion from SURE-P funds and N3. 5 billion from Small and Medium Enterprises Funds.

    In addition, while the state’s total internally-generated revenue during the eight year period was N78 billion, N69. 8 billion came into its coffers through bonds and loans. N348.2 billion was received as local government funds, N92. 9 billion came from UBEC funds while N23. 2 billion was received from various sources.

    Much of the state’s stocks and equities were found to have been sold off in “ill-motivated and non-transparent transactions” while curious expenditures such as the N35 billion expended on security surveillance and expenditures heads like ‘Cost of running government’ were questioned.

    “Out of the total revenue of N1. 02 trillion realised by the government of Benue State from various sources between June 2007 and May 2015, only about 15% was expended on capital projects while 85% was used as recurrent expenditure”, the Kpojime Commission stated while noting a “a complete abandonment of financial instructions and regulations.”

    Indeed, all these may be a story replicated in most of the thirty-six states and it would be interesting to monitor how well even the Samuel Ortom administration would succeed in avoiding being ensnared in the same pitfalls its probe panel has vigorously identified.

  • Benue massacre: Stop herdsmen before they wipe out our people, Idoma beg Buhari

    Benue massacre: Stop herdsmen before they wipe out our people, Idoma beg Buhari

    Following last week’s massacre of over 300 indigenes of Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State by suspected Fulani Herdsmen, indigenes of the affected areas in Benin, Edo State, yesterday called on the Federal Government to urgently deploy a detachment of soldiers to the affected communities to end the carnage.

    Dr Enoch Malachi, an indigene of the affected Local Government and medical practitioner who addressed the press, said the Idoma community in Edo State has dispatched a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on the urgent need to deploy soldiers to the affected areas.

    The affected communities are Okokolo, Akwu, Ocholonya, Adagbo, Ugboku and Aila where the invading herdsmen destroyed property and farmland produce worth several millions of naira.

    Dr Malachi noted that it was necessary to write the letter to the president to put an end to the unwanted killings by the herdsmen. “Government must take drastic action to end what I may describe as the senseless and wanton killings by Fulani herdsmen.”

    He rued the fact that the spate of attacks has forced thousands of families to flee the communities for other Local Government Areas for safety resulting in a serious refugee and humanitarian crisis.

    “The Federal Government must take drastic action now in order to bring peace to Agatu Local Government Area. I don’t know why Fulani herdsmen have become militants. Our people are peace loving and we have accommodated the herdsmen for years, and today, they have turned against us.

    “The information reaching us now is that three villages have been completely razed down by these herdsmen. The inhabitants have been turned refugees and displaced. Soldiers are not anywhere there to protect the people.

    “We are calling on the Federal Government to immediately deploy a battalion of soldiers to these communities; if not, our people may be completely wiped out by these well-armed herdsmen.”

  • My victory is for all – Mark

    My victory is for all – Mark

    Former Senate President and winner of the February 20 Benue South Senatorial District re-run election, David Mark, has appealed to his main challenger, Daniel Onjeh of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to join him in moving Idomaland forward.

    Mark made the call on Sunday during his first press conference after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC declared him winner.

    “I want to thank all sons and daughters of Idomaland because this victory is for us, not for David Mark. I also want to urged those whose political interest might have clashed with mine to join hands with me in moving Idomaland forward,”he said.

    He declared that election is over and all efforts must be geared towards the betterment of the people.

    “I want to thank the people of zone c for their support and promised that I will not disappoint them.

    “The election is over and I am ready to serve Idomaland again,” he added.

    Dismissing calls by the APC that the election should be declared inconclusive, Senator Mark said his major concern is on how to ensure that Idomaland is better than it was in the past, adding that strength is in unity.