Former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to ex-Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, Mr. Terver Akase has declared as false Governor Hyacinth Alia’s recent claim that he inherited over N359billion debt from the immediate past administration.
But reacting to the claim in a statement issued Tuesday in Makurdi, Mr. Akase alleged that the Governor was being economical with the truth on the matter. “Curiously, this same government told the people via a statement by Governor Alia’s Chief Press Secretary in June this year that Governor Ortom handed N187.56 billion to them as debt, which was the same amount the former Governor mentioned while presenting handover notes to his successor. What the present government is saying about the state debts now contradicts their previous statement.
“It should also be noted that owing to the efforts of the Ortom administration, Benue State by May 29, 2023, had outstanding approvals awaiting disbursement from the Federal Government including the balance of Bailout – N41 billion and a N20 billion Central Bank of Nigeria facility. At the same time, the Benue State government was expecting N9 billion as refund on withdrawals for subsidy and SURE-P.