Benue Assembly summons ex-governor’s aide over missing N1.78bn

The Benue State House of Assembly has summoned the former special adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr Dennis Akura.

Akura is to appear before the lawmakers on Tuesday, December 24, 2024, to explain and refund N1.78 billion that was not accounted while he was in the bureau.

The resolution followed a motion moved by Thomas Dugeri (APC/Kwande West) after a report of the ad-hoc committee that investigated the operations and financial records at the local government level covering the period June 2023 to June 2024 that indicted Akura on Thursday, December 19.

Dugeri said the House requested that Akura refund N1.782 billion to the coffers of the state government.

The lawmaker expressed concern that the reactions of Akura on social media denigrated, maligned, and impugned the resolutions and integrity of the House by calling them unprintable names, claiming that he was not given a fair hearing.

He said Akura labelled the House report as not being based on empirical facts and evidence.

Dugeri added that as representatives of the people and a responsible House that believed in fairness, transparency, equity, and justice, he humbly requested that Akura should appear before the lawmakers.

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According to him, the former adviser is to explain to the people of Benue State why he cannot refund N 1.78 billion funds he short-changed various local governments for security purposes and compromised the security architecture of the state.

Dugeri further stated that all the past local government chairmen who served from June 2023 to June 2024 should equally appear before the House.

The lawmaker said they are to appear alongside the directors of general services and administration, treasurers, and security officers of various local governments at the plenary as well to enable the people of Benue State to establish the veracity of the report.

He warned government appointees against disparaging and spewing unnecessary invective on lawmakers who were carrying out their constitutional duties for the interest of the people of Benue State.

The lawmakers noted that in line with the Supreme Court Judgement on Local Government and Financial Autonomy, the House should initiate and accelerate the process of amendment of the Local Government Law.

According to them, doing so would curtail the powers and excesses of the Bureau of Local Government to promote the local government’s financial autonomy.

The Star