Benue Assembly summons former special adviser on missing N1.78b

The Benue House of Assembly, presided over by its Speaker, Hyacinth Dajo, has summoned the former special adviser to Gov. Hyacinth Alia on the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr Dennis Akura.

Akura is to appear before plenary on Tuesday to explain and refund N1.78 billion that was not accounted for while he was in the bureau.

The resolution follows a motion moved by Mr Thomas Dugeri (APC/Kwande West) after a report of the ad-hoc committee that investigated the operations and financial records at the local government level covering the period June 2023 to June 2024 that indicted Akura.

Dugeri said that the house requested that Akura refund the sum of N1.782 billion to the coffers of the state government.

The lawmaker expressed concern that the reactions of Akura on social media denigrated, maligned, and impugned the resolutions and integrity of the house by calling them unprintable names, claiming that he was not given a fair hearing.

He said that he labelled the house report as not being based on empirical facts and evidence.

Dugeri added that as representatives of the people and a responsible house that believed in fairness, transparency, equity, and justice, he humbly requested that Akura should appear before the lawmakers.

According to him, the former adviser is to explain to the Benue people why he cannot refund N 1.78 billion in funds he shortchanged various local governments for security purposes and compromised the security architecture of the state.

He further stated that all the past local government chairmen who served from June 2023 to June 2024 should equally appear before the house.

The lawmaker stated that they were to appear alongside the directors of general services and administration, treasurers, and security officers of various local governments at the plenary as well to enable the Benue people to establish the veracity of the report.

He warned government appointees against disparaging and spewing unnecessary invective on honourable members who were carrying out their constitutional duties for the interest of Benue people.

They pointed out that, in line with the Supreme Court judgement on local government and financial autonomy, the House should initiate and accelerate the process of amending the local government law.

According to them, doing so would curtail the powers and excesses of the Bureau of Local Government so as to promote the local government’s financial autonomy.