The Chief Press Secretary to Benue state Gov. Samuel Ortom, Terver Akase, has debunked media reports suggesting that his principal is against local government autonomy.
Akase, who made the clarification in a statement on Sunday, explained that Ortom is one of the governors who supported constitutional amendment granting local governments autonomy.
He said, “We wish to make it clear that Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, is not against local government autonomy as is being reported in a section of the media.”
Akase recalled that the Governor’s stand prompted the National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, to give him an award in Abuja last year.
“The headlines in some newspapers indicating that Governor Ortom is opposed to local government autonomy are therefore, misleading and mischievous,” he said.
Recently, the Governor, while interacting with journalists in Makurdi, frowned at the statement credited to Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, which tended to describe state governors as fraudsters who divert local government funds for personal use.
Ortom had taken exception to such sweeping incriminating comments by NFIU, which indicted all governors, and he demanded an apology.
He had declared that “I have never touched one kobo of local government funds so it’s an insult for NFIU to refer to all governors as corrupts. So they have to apologise to me.”
Akase said Benue State under Gov. Ortom is already practising local government autonomy. “Council Chairmen in the state are directly responsible for the payment of workers’ salaries and general running of administration in their areas.
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“The decision to allow local governments to manage their affairs is a key element of Gov. Ortom’s policy on transparency and accountability.
“The Governor does not interfere with local government funds and therefore has no reason to oppose any move to grant full autonomy to the councils.
“Governor Ortom, will, however, not allow any agency of the government to go out of its constitutional mandate to create the impression that he tampers with council funds,” the statement said.
Akase, insisted that the Governor believes in the rule of law and wishes that the provisions of the Constitution of the country be applied as they relate to the three tiers of government.
