The commission of inquiry established by Governor Hyacinth Alia to scrutinize the income and expenditure of the Benue State Government between May 29, 2015, and May 28, 2023, has announced the commencement of the collection of memoranda.
In a statement released on Friday and signed by Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo (retd) and Dr. Abraham Gberindyer, the commission outlined the procedure for submission, requesting all memoranda, addressed to the Chairman, to be presented in 11 hard copies and 1 soft copy.
The deadline for submission is set not later than 14 days from May 10, 2024, with submissions to be sent to the commission’s office at Court 6, opposite Nigeria Immigration Service Command, Makurdi.
Among the commission’s objectives are the identification of the income, expenditure, loans, bank accounts, and special interventions received by the Benue State Government during the specified period. It is also tasked with investigating cases of misappropriation, abuse, misuse, diversion of funds, and ghost workers’ payment.
To ensure a comprehensive investigation, the commission has invited submissions from various stakeholders, including the public, financial institutions, the 23 Local Government Councils of Benue State, and government ministries, departments, and agencies.
The commission has been granted six months from its inaugural sitting to submit its report for review and consideration. It is noteworthy that the former governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, has expressed readiness to cooperate with the commission and has directed his appointees to be prepared to give an account of their stewardship if required.
