By Jovitta Iorshase
The Acting Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), Sir James Aondoakaa Iorpuu has called on all concerned to direct questions about distribution of Federal Government’s palliatives in the state to the office of the governor through the his Chief Press Secretary.
Sir Iorpuu, who stated this in a telephone conversation with The Voice, last Monday, explained that, the question will be answered better by the governor or his Chief Press Secretary since the office he is occupying is directly under the office of the governor and he can only act on given instructions.
“That question is not for me to answer, the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia is the one who is supposed to answer those questions or the Chief Press Secretary to the governor. They will discuss on it better than me.
“The office I’m holding, I’m holding it in trust for the governor and I only receive instructions to act,” he stated.
According to him, BSEMA still remains an Agency directly under the office of the governor even with the creation of the office of the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.
It would be recalled that, due to the Federal Government’s efforts to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal, five billion naira was given to states across the nation out of which, two billion naira has already been released.
Although, Governor Alia had outlined areas of intervention with the funds which include: Payment of the 2023/2024 WAEC/NECO SSCE for all indigenes of Benue State in government schools, sponsorship and training of ten thousand youths to boost Information Communication and Technology (ICT) sector in the state, provision of grants to five thousand women under registered cooperative societies, purchase of 100 buses for the state owned transport company -Benue Links Ltd among others, yet, the actual purpose is yet to be felt by Benue citizens amidst the scorching heat of hardships being experienced by the people.
