Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has described as fake and unfounded stories making the rounds that he awarded the construction of an underpass in Makurdi at N44 billion.
Governor Alia also said that it is untrue that his office is set to consume 13.11 percent of the 2024 budget.
He said: “Some people are not interested in the development of this state.
“They are very sad at the moment.
“They hate to see anything good happen here.
“They are enemies of the state who fabricate stories and sponsor some ready mischievous youth to propagate on the cyberspace with a clear intention to generate hatred for the administration.”
Alia said the contract of the underpass met all the required procurement details before it was approved and awarded to Bauhaus Global Investment Nigeria Limited on December 23, 2023 at a realistically achievable bill of something in the neighbourhood of N6 billion, describing the allegation of N44 billion as laughable.
The Governor spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, who addressed a news conference at the Government House, Makurdi on Thursday.
According to the CPS, the High Level underpass was amongst three of such projects that were proposed for construction by the current administration, with the other two being flyover projects at Wurkukum Roundabout and Gyado Junction, Gboko.
He stated however that given the proactiveness of the Governor and the love of President Bola Tinubu for the people of the state, the Wurukum flyover, which the state government had proposed to construct for N9 billion, has now been redesigned and awarded for about N20 billion by the Federal Government, with work billed to commence soon.
Kula said Barhaus Global Investment Nigeria Limited, a company that has done construction jobs in Nassarawa, Kano and other parts of Nigeria, was chosen as the contractor for the job ahead of three other contractors.
Also commenting on the issues raised by the Benue State National Assembly caucus, who alleged during a press conference that the dissolution of the local government councils in the state is the reason for the increased Fulani attacks, the CPS said it appears the group knows what many, including the governor, don’t.
He said already, the state government is investigating a letter allegedly sent to the herdsmen to return and occupy some parts of the state, adding that the anti-grazing law is still in force in the state as Governor Alia had emphasised during the burial of the late Tor Sankera, Chief Abu King Shuluwa.
Kula queried why the National Assembly caucus would descend so low to the point of quoting a fictional sum of N3 billion as monthly security votes for the Governor, saying the government is not against anyone or group for speaking on issues that affect the state, but that such issues must be built on truth and free of lies and must not be aimed at instigating the people against the government.
On allegations that 13.11 percent of the total N225.7 billion 2024 budget for the state has been earmarked for the office of the Governor, the CPS said there is nothing of such in the 2024 budget.
He said some people may be mistaking the Government House Administration to be the same as the Governor’s Office.
He stated that in the 2024 budget, the Governor’s Office takes only N5.2 billion, representing 2.3 percent.
Kula insisted that even the Government House Administration encompasses such other offices and agencies like the Deputy Governor’s Office, Pension Commission, Benue Peace Commission, BENSACA, BSEMA, Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, State Millennium Development Goals, Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has no such percentage in the current budget.
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On the issue of free WAEC, NECO and NABTEB registration that the Alia administration had promised, the CPS urged the parent of students in government-owned schools not to panic as the governor has directly engaged the external examination bodies to pay the fees directly to them, adding that the data of the students has already been forwarded to them.
Kula said the governor did this deliberately as there were signs of sharp practices and exploitations in the name of handling charges and other strange charges.
