By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, has accused member representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Terseer Ugbor of diverting a full truck of palliatives meant for distribution to IDPs and the vulnerable community in the area.
Governor Alia who made the allegation while reacting to media reports credited to the National Assembly member that he confiscated palliatives meant for the people of Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency, out of his hate and dislike for the people, during a press conference addressed on his behalf yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula at Government House Makurdi, described such reports as not only misleading but wicked, mischievous and blatant falsehood.
To set the record straight, Alia revealed that he got a tip off that National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, palliatives sent to the state from the federal government were being diverted to a private residence at Kilometer 2 along Makurdi- Gboko road, adding that on getting the information he quickly swung into action and directed his CSO to dispatch a team of police personnel to the premises together with his SEMA boss to know where the palliatives left, who were the supposed beneficiaries and who diverted the consignment.
He further explained that on getting to the scene the officers and the SEMA boss discovered that the palliatives were actually being offloaded at the residence under the authority and supervision of Francis Ajai, an aide to Terseer Ugbor in company of other aides to the same Ugbor.
The governor said further inquiries revealed that the palliatives meant for the state were released at the North Central office of NEMA in Jos to Francis Ajai whose name appeared on the manifest, adding that instead, the National Assembly member and his team refused to follow due process by registering the goods at SEMA as it is done but rather diverted it to a wrong destination.
Alia who expressed worry why the palliatives which were discovered to be meant for Kwande/ Ushongo Federal Constituency were off loaded in Makurdi, explained was the reason he ordered that the truck be brought to Government house for him to monitor and know who gave the directive and for such a person to own up by giving explanations, and expressed shock that 5 days after the incident no body including Ugbor, or any of his aides has come forward to claim responsibility rather than rushing to the media with all manner of allegations.
Governor Alia who described the allegations as baseless recalled that on September 11,when the diverted truck was confiscated in Makurdi, it was the same day the State Emergency Management Agency,SEMA distributed palliatives to IDPs in Kwande, stating that linking a condemnable act such as what has happened to hate as deliberately”sitting truth on the head.”
He argued that when palliatives from NEMA arrive states, they are firstly registered at state offices of Emergency Management Agency, describing as suspicious why the items were off loaded in a private residence when many warehouses belonging to the state are still empty and demanded Ugbor and his aides to explain to the people of Kwande/Ushongo what actually went wrong rather than raising issues that are baseless and unfounded.
Governor Alia who said people of Kwande/Ushongo and the entire Benue community should appreciate him for being vigilant for keeping a tab to ensure that what belongs to them is not diverted to anywhere, commended President Bola Tinubu, for always being proactive on issues concerning IDPs and security of Benue people, assuring the president on behalf of Benue masses the needed support to succeed.