Benue government denies diverting IDPs relief materials

•Group absolves NEDC of corruption allegation, abandoned projects in N’East

The Benue State government has frowned on allegations of mismanagement and diversion of relief materials meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.

Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. Emmanuel Shior, at a press briefing, yesterday, in Makurdi, decried the allegation made by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, describing it as ‘false’ and ‘unsubstantiated.’

Shior challenged Fr. Alia to show proof of mismanagement of funds, regretting that a man of God will play politics with lives and engage in mud slinging. Shior said: “Alia lacks knowledge of what Benue government is doing in catering for IDPs. Rather than make disparaging comments, he should come forth and do what others have done in assisting IDPs. He should come to my office and I will brief and take him round the camps.

“You do not wait for your people to die. Then, who will you govern? He is doing cheap campaign; does he think IDPs will vote for him because in the time of their trial, he was not there. Governor Ortom has always been there for them. He has staked his life, and how do we reward such a statesman, but to ensure PDP remains in power.”

The SEMA boss also disclosed that over 3,000 persons were recently displaced in Kwande, Ukum, Gwer West, Logo and Guma by suspected herdsmen, who had come into the state in their thousands to occupy it in the guise of celebrating Ortom’s senatorial loss.

SIMILARLY, the Arewa Round Table Against Corrupt Practices (ARTACP) has explained that there are no abandoned projects awarded by the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) in the region.

Coordinator of the group, Aliyu Mohammed, said this, on Sunday, in Bauchi, adding that the allegations of misappropriation of funds against NEDC, under the leadership of Mohammed Goni Alkali, to the tune of N146.19 billion, is mischievous, false and baseless.

While reacting to the allegations published by some media outlets, they said the allegations are nothing but mischief and falsehood.

Mohammed said: “After a thorough investigation by our group, we visited all areas mentioned by the petitioners on a fact finding mission, based on our findings that revealed that there are no abandoned projects awarded by NEDC in the entire six Northeastern states.”