Benue Gov: Our Administration is Not on Witch Hunt

George Okoh in Makurdi

The Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr.  Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has stated that his administration is not on a witch hunt mission. 

The governor stated this yesterday during a state broadcast to commemorate this year’s Democracy Day celebration. 

Recalling the importance of June 12 and democracy in general to Nigerians, the governor said that it was at the whims of democracy that he has been given the mandate to steer the affairs of the state for the next four years, and called for the support and prayers of all the Benue citizens.

He appreciated his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for always standing by him, as well as the market women, “Okada” riders and all who played one role or the other to ensure that he was elected as Benue’s seventh democratically governor of the state.

The governor explained that he rescinded the recruitment exercise that was carried by his predecessor in the Benue State Civil Service because of non-observance of due process, adding that the exercise was also was lopsided and favoured few local government areas.

He explained that his administration needed to take the hard decision because no budgetary provision was made in respect of the recruitment, and that the solicitor general of the state was not carried along during the entire process.

The governor also said that he ordered those promoted to the position of permanent secretaries by the previous administration to revert to their previous posts because due process was not observed in their promotions.

He argued that the decision to return them to their previous roles was done in good faith and not as a form of witch-hunt. 

While soliciting for more time and partnership from the state’s civil servants, the governor said that workers would start receiving their salaries from the state government from June 25, 2023.

He called on all Benue people not to despair, but to keep hope alive, as according to him, “a new Benue is possible” with everyone’s support.