Benue State Government has dispelled reports claiming that about N20 billion federal allocation aggregated to the Local Government was diverted.
The state government made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Adviser on Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Dr Denis Akura.
This was in reaction to the Global Integrity Crusade Network who had alleged that the state governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia directed his Akura to divert the huge sum.
The state government denied the report, describing it as a mischievous allegation.
Akura said the GICN report was aimed at misleading “the unsuspecting members of the public with bogus fallacious claims designed to discredit and distract the Alia administration”.
He added that from June through to October 2, 2023, he was not at the helm of affairs at the bureau, arguing that making references to him within that period only “exposes the mischievous intent behind GICN’s false allegations.”
The statement further noted that the management of the bureau does not have the mandate to share palliatives or Christmas relief materials as alleged in a section of the media.
Decrying GICN’s allegations, Akuka stated that more of such reports were to be expected, and “we are expecting more to come in the nearest future, especially now that the Alia administration’s reforms in various sectors of government continue to gather steam.”
