The Benue State House of Assembly today, 21st March 2024 at the plenary presided by the Speaker, Chief Aondona Dajoh has passed a motion calling on His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Benue state, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia Ph.D. to unfreeze the state accounts which he ordered to be frozen on the 29th of May 2023 during his inaugural speech for the smooth running of ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
The Motion was moved by the honorable member representing Kwande West State Constituency, Pharmacist Thomas Dugeri, and seconded by the member representing Konshisha State Constituency, Rt. Honorable Cephas Dyako.
Debating on the motion, the house frowns at the continuous freezing of the accounts which has rendered ministries, and departments hopeless, paralyzed, and unable to render effective services to the people of the state.
The house is particularly worried that, it is over nine months into the life of the administration, and why is it taking so long for the Governor to initiate the process to render whatever transactions that were hanging on the government accounts ineffective adding that all cheque’s life span is six months.
In Reaction to the motion, the member representing the Kyan constituency, Hon. Shimawua Emmanuel moved a counter motion which was seconded by Honorable Berger Alfred Emberga member representing Makurdi North calling on the house not to run to a hasty conclusion on why the state Governor has allowed the accounts to be frozen, however, their counter motion failed through voice votes.
The house resolves that the Governor should in the interest of the state, unfreeze the state Accounts for the smooth running of the MDAs.
Also at plenary today, the house screened two out of the Eight Members of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission and confirmed one. Those screened were Honorable Terhemen Shom and Dr. Gisaor Vincent, while Shom Terhemen was confirmed, Dr. Gisaor Vincent’s nominee was rejected after screening for issues bothering his social media outingouting on Facebook where he made comments insulting the Tiv nation, ” Ka Ikpongu Tswar I Tiv”.
The other members including the Chairman were stepped down for another legislative day for submitting incomplete CVs.
The honorable commissioner for Works, Housing and Urban Development, Tiza Imojime honoring the invitation of the house was asked to explain why he has failed to honor the invitation of the house standing on works and Housing.
The commissioner after tendering an apology to the House said his actions were never deliberate but a breach in communication which he promised would never happen again.
In another development, the House grilled the Chairman local government service commission over his appointments of DGSAs.
The house shows displeasure at the way and manner in which the appointments were made without proper balancing and asked the chairman to bring the list of those appointments to the house within 7 working days.
Amb. Raphael Akume Ityav,
Chief press secretary to the speaker, BNHOA, 21st March 2024.
