The immediate past governor of Benue State Samuel Ortom has challenged the state governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia to publish the allocations received since he assumed office last year.
The former governor also challenged his successor to disclose the wage bill of the state.
Ortom made the call in a statement issued by his media aide, Terver Akase, a copy made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Tuesday.
The former governor was reacting to the disclosure made by Governor Alia that he inherited N359 billion salary arrears from his predecessor.
Governor Alia had during his thank you tour of the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency disclosed that he inherited over N359 billion salary arrears.
The former governor said the claim by his successor was to give nothing but a tissue of lies and said that Governor Alia by his claim had created impression that he did not pay salary for five years.
Ortom said that the manner his successor has been bandying his administration shows that the governor is obsessed with his name.
The former governor recalled that Alia administration had admitted that he (Ortom) left N187.56 billion debts at the time he assumed office in 2023 and however expressed worries about the new figure the governor dropped during his thank-you tour.
“We challenge the State Government under Governor Alia to publish the allocations they have received since May 2023 and how the funds are being expended.
” We equally challenge the Alia government to tell the people what the wage bill of the state is after the Governor claimed that they removed thousands of “ghost workers” from the government’s payroll.
“The Alia administration should also publish what the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state has been since May 2023 to date.
“Going by Governor Alia’s claim that he inherited N359 billion in salary arrears, the unfounded impression created is that the past administration of Governor Ortom did not pay salaries for five years (60 months)!
“How possible is this? The narrative is not only ridiculously fictitious but is also a deliberate flimflam to mislead the people.
“The Alia administration appears to be obsessed with the name Samuel Ortom, as they miss no opportunity to throw darts at the immediate past Governor branding him with all manner of negative hues.
” It is puzzling that Chief Ortom left office more than a year ago but his successor and his team can’t get off his back. This is despite the reluctance of the former Governor to engage in a media war with his successor.
Ortom who said that he too inherited debts in 2015 explained that his administration worked tirelessly to clear arrears of salary and the same time implemented a 27% increase in teachers’ salaries, the N18,000 minimum wage for teachers as well the N30,000 minimum wage for workers.
The former governor said that before he left office in 2023, his administration took proactive steps to negotiate and ensure significant debt reduction and relief for the state.
Ortom urged his successor to stop chasing shadow but concentrate on governance and fulfill his campaign promises to the people.
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