By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
The Special Adviser to the Governor of Benue State on Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Dr. Dennis Akura has disclosed that the sack of Gboko, Ukum and Katsina Ala local government council Chairman is based on their maladministration and gross misconduct at their respective local government councils.
Mr. Dennis Akura, also disclosed that the bureau has officially communicated to the caretaker committee chairmen of Gboko, Katsina-Ala and Ukum local government councils, to immediately vacate their offices following the termination of their appointment by governor Hyacinth Alia.
Nigerian NewsDirect reports that Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia, had on Tuesday, 19th February, 2024, sent an executive communication to the Benue State House of Assembly and requested for immediate approval to sack the affected chairmen and replaced them with new ones.
The affected caretaker chairmen includes; Tavershima Agber Abraham, Gboko LGC, Pst. Gideon Haanongon , Ukum LGC and Francis Zanzan, Katsina Ala LGC respectively.
The Governor named those to take over from the affected chairmen as Verlumun Avar, Gboko LGC, Victor Iorzaa, Ukum and Justin Shaku, Katsina Ala LGC.
Reacting to this development, special adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on local government and chieftaincy affairs, Mr. Dennis Akura, said the bureau has officially communicated to the affected Chairmen to hand over all the local government properties in their care with immediate effect .
Mr. Akura while speaking with members of the Correspondents’ chapel in his office in Makurdi, said that the new Council Chairmen of the affected Local Governments have been directed by the Bureau resume offices.
He explained that the bureau for local government and chieftaincy affairs is saddled with the primary responsibility of monitoring and superviing the local government councils in the State, have found the affected chairmen of gross misconduct and embezzlement of local government funds.
“The principal special assistant to governor on monitoring and supervision in company of other staff of bureau, went on routine monitoring to the local government councils and in the process of their interactions with the council chairmen, it was discovered that they tempered with the council’s revenue funds.
“Some of them were engaged in act of gross misconduct, embazzled monies meant for the councils and doing things that is unbecoming of a local government chairman.
“So, monitoring of local government affairs is part of our responsibility and that is what the PSA and other staff went for. They didn’t went there to carry out investigation, they were on routine monitoring before they stormed into this. However, there is a different committee saddled with the responsibility of investigation and we still waiting for their reports.
“We, at the bureau for local government and chieftaincy affairs, we operates a zero account expenditures and that is what the Joint Accounts, Allocation Committee(JAAC), is all about.
“Therefore, it is the local government councils that spends their money and so, anytime we are inform of misappropriation of fund, we arrest the situation immediately, so the governor has taken a decision and we have communicated same to the affected chairmen”, Akura said.