Can you change the World

Your first big test in a long while pits your survival instinct against the realities of a changing world. In the middle of the turmoil you have to ask: Will this love last?

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

Public Announcement Please if u know any child suffering from any congenital or acquired heart condition that requires surgery, kindly refer to The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Asokoro Abuja. A group of surgeons will be having free surgeries for them from 10 - 21st November. PLS SPREAD THE WORD.

For a few weeks now, agitations for the emancipation of the Biafran people have been going on in states within the southeastern region of Nigeria. Some are of the believe that there are mere protests, however, there are reasons to think twice.

For a few weeks now, agitations for the emancipation of the Biafran people have been going on in states within the southeastern region of Nigeria. Some are of the believe that there are mere protests, however, there are reasons to think twice. The Indigenous People of Biafra on a peaceful protest over the arrest of the director of Radio Biafra on November 11 along Ikwerre road in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. A closer look at historical facts, especially those related to the Biafra war which took place between 1967 and 1970, gives an insight as to why the ongoing protests for Biafra must not be taken lightly. If you ever thought light of the issue, then take a second look at these photos and you will see reasons why the wave of Biafra protests is a big deal. READ ALSO: “Sponsors Of Biafra Protests Live In Mansions, Riding Super Cars” Radio Biafra Those who are conversant with history will recall that the Biafra war was not just fought on the battle field, the media played a very great role in fueling and shaping the course of the conflict. It was through the radio that both Nigerian and Biafran factions passed information about the progress of the war, lands lost and grounds reclaimed. It was over the radio that the soldiers’ spirits were buoyed. Never forget that the radio could be a very great tool for propaganda. It is amazing what messages can be passed over the waves! The radio is a great tool for propaganda. Arrest Of Biafra Zionists The Biafrans gave the excuse of being marginalised, brutally dealt with, especially in the North. The arrest of twelve supposed Biafra Zionists has proven to be one of the cause of provocation. This excuse alongside that of the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, the Radio Biafra director, gave a rise to the current wave of agitations rocking the eastern part of the country. There is also speculation of the corpses that were seen floating on the Ezu River in Anambra state. The arrest of twelve supposed Biafra Zionists has proven to be one of the cause of provocation. Biafra Protests In Foreign Lands One great ploy by any people looking to secede is to draw the attention of the international community, this is one joker which the current Biafra activists are playing. There have been protests across Europe, Asia, America and other continents, the Biafra activists are looking to get the United Nation’s attention on the issue. They are trying to win the sympathy of the international community, a move that will really count if the attention is won. Biafra protest in the UK. Biafrans are seeking more international attention. A Biafra activist tramples on the Nigerian flag in a foreign land. Biafra National Identifiers There must be symbols to identify a group of people as sovereign, hence the Biafran symbols and the national identifiers is the thing to take seriously. It would be recalled that in the civil war Biafrans had their own currency and traded with it to a great extent. The production of Biafra currency, flags, passports and emblems are the symbols that say a lot about the current protests. They give reasons to take the people more seriously and resolve the issue while it has not gone out of hand. There must be symbols to identify a group of people as sovereign. The flags, passports and emblems are the symbols that say a lot about the current protests. They give reasons to take these people more seriously. Biafra identity card There are pictures of the Biafra passport, an issue to take seriously. Violent Protests Initially, the protests by the Biafra activists were all peaceful marches across streets and cities, now there are reports of people being injured and some ending up dead. This is a sign that these agitations might escalate, especially if certain demands by the protesters are not met, the demands like the release of the Radio Biafra director, Nnamdi Kanu. A recent protest by Biafra activists, which was held in Onitsha, saw the lock down of the Niger bridge , a case that quickly brings to mind that the bridge in question was blown-up in 1967 to stop the Nigerian troops from entering the Biafra territory during the civil war. Many historians claim that the demolition of the bridge which links Asaba was a major setback to the federal troops’ incursion into the Biafran territory until the war ended in January 1970. The Biafra protests within the southeastern region are close to becoming really violent. A recent protest in Onitsha led to a shut down of the Niger bridge which links Anambra to Asaba. Conscription Of Biafra Agitators Most stories told about the Biafra war relayed how most Igbo people and many from the eastern region were conscripted into the Biafran army. The stories narrate how the Biafran army held camps in schools compounds and church buildings, training the recruits to shoot with carved sticks. The photos below show a similar trait, however, they only show a conscription into a Biafra agitator group, no gun training yet. However, it all forms a pattern, the circle goes on, giving the cause for the nation to take these protests serious. Young people are being conscripted into various groups geared at protesting for the Biafran course. No gun training, but, who knows?! The Biafra Army In October 2015 there was a video which showed Nnamdi Kanu, the Radio Biafra director, soliciting for arms at an Igbo conference which was held in the United States. They say there is no smoke without a fire, thus, if Kanu was seeking arms to fight Nigeria, then that might be linked to rumours that the Biafra army is currently being prepared. The pictures of various people clad in uniforms supposedly belonging to the Biafra army, might seem like some child’s play, however, the fruit does not fall too far from the tree. READ ALSO: Why 1967 Biafra Spirit Has Refused To Die Until we know for certain that these rumours are speculation indeed, then we have a reason to worry that there may be great threats to the peace of Nigeria. The pictures below are very cogent reasons why the Biafra protests and agitations must not be taken lightly. Nnamdi Kanu strikes a pose with some alleged Biafra soldiers. Beautiful Biafran ladies, clad in the uniform of the Biafra army, another reason for concern to the peace of Nigeria. Here are some other photos posted on social media which give more reasons why the Biafra protests in the southeastern region of Nigeria must be given a proper attention. Pro-Biafra protests: S-East Govs, Ohaneze’s meeting postponed https://t.co/AjZRJhRfXM @radiobiafralive @APCNigeria pic.twitter.com/ HrLtCoSwki — i-reporting@Vanguard (@OlufemiAjasa) November 12, 2015 #Biafran Athlete Dedicates Victory To Biafra Freedom In Luxembourg (See Photots. @BBCWorld @cnni @radiobiafralive pic.twitter.com/wsqEuE1uer — BIAFRATODAY (@Biafranewspoint) November 11, 2015 #Biafra supporters escalate campaign. Attack on Hausa – Fulani community in Port Harcourt @GovWike @PoliceNG pic.twitter.com/ CRWdaJXFqh — Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi) November 10, 2015 The agitation for the liberation of Biafra continues, as both members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), take their protest into Imo state on Thursday, November 12.

DHQ dismisses report of Boko Haram attack in South-West

The Defence Headquarters has dismissed reports that the Boko Haram sect was planning to attack some South-Western states of Nigeria. This is contained in a statement released to newsmen in Abuja on Saturday by the acting Director of Defence Information, Col. Rabe Abubakar. Abubakar said the report was baseless, unfounded and urged the public to disregard such reports. He said the military in recent operations in the North- East had degraded the insurgents, stressing that it was not possible for the insurgents to coordinate attacks in any part of the country. He said the Armed Forces are using this medium to appeal to the good citizens of Nigeria particularly in the west not to lose sleep over the unfounded and fictitious reports and to go about their businesses. “The attention of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has been drawn to the above caption published by some section of the media claiming impending attacks by Boko Haram terrorists in some south western states of the country. “This story is not only baseless but lacks substance in its entirety, hence should be disregarded. “Of more worrisome is the claim that the terrorists have infiltrated the western states. “While the military and other security agencies have made tremendous successes in degrading and decimating the terrorists, it would be unthinkable to raise these unfounded rumours of Boko Haram terrorist planning attack not only in the west but any other part of the country for that matter,’’ Abubakar was quoted as saying. Abubakar said the coordination and synergy between the military and other security services, which led to the arrest of some ring leaders of the terrorists in some states, was instructive to their incapability to wage any coordinated attack. He, however, urged the public to always be wary of suspicious individuals or groups in their localities and to report such to security agencies for prompt action.

WE WILL NOT SPARE BAILOUT PROTESTERS – HON. ZAM WARNS

Following protests over bailout funds in several Local Government Areas in Benue State such as Katsina-Ala, Kwande and Obi, the Special Adviser to the state Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Titus Zam has warned that anybody found to be culpable in the alleged protests would not be spared. The Adviser who gave the warning while addressing the monthly joint account meeting of local Government Chairmen and treasurers at the Bureau yesterday, also condemned the chasing away of members of the committee on complaints verification and implementation who visited some local Government councils recently. He also called upon local government caretaker chairman to live up to their responsibilities or have themselves to blame. He frowned at situations where council chairmen arbitrarily refer cases to his office when such issues could be handled by them, saying it was becoming increasingly embarrassing and showed signs of incompetence and indecision. Hon. Zam urged the chairmen to always explain government policies and programs to the people at their respective council areas so as to reduce tension and anxiety among the citizens. Responding on behalf of his colleagues, state ALGON Chairman and Chairman, Guma Local Government Council, Hon. Samuel Agah, assured the Special Adviser that they would work in unity with the Bureau and do everything to ensure the success of the Ortom Admnistration. Hon. Agah also pledged that they would work in line with policy guidelines of the present administration and support the success of E- Payment towards the payment of staff salaries in the local government councils.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a suspected drug trafficking cartel at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu state.

Ahmadu Giade, the chairman of the NDLEA According to a statement issued on Friday, November 13, by Mitchel Ofoyeju, the agency’s spokesperson in Lagos, two officers of the NDLEA, Daniel Goska and Ndubuisi Ughor, who are indicted and currently at large, have been dismissed and declared wanted. “Other suspected members of the group include Ifeanyichukwu Dayson, a key member of the drug trafficking organisation, and Emmanuel Okorie an Operations manager with Ethiopian Airline,” the statement read. Among the suspects there were Henry Amaechi, a supervisor in Passenger Service Department of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc, and Jacob Ezeugwu, a ticket and baggage staff at the airport. READ ALSO: What NDLEA Officials Found Inside Bullion Vans In Ogun State Will Surprise You! The statement quoted Ahmadu Giade, the chairman of the NDLEA, who described the mode of operation of the drug cartel as strange. He also promised to adhere to global best practice in drug control in Nigeria. “No bad egg in the agency will escape justice. Notwithstanding the strange way the cartel operates, I am pleased that it was exposed and ultimately dislodged. “The agency will continue to adopt superior drug control strategies in line with global best practice. This is one sweet victory over criminal groups. “The NDLEA is committed to the eradication of narcotics from our country and will continue to look both inwards and outwards for subversive elements,” he said. A week ago, the NDLEA operatives arrested a 44-year- old woman , Abdulrasaq Modinat Alake, at Lagos International Airport. The woman, the Kwara state indegene, was caught with 4.450 kilogramme of cocaine.

BENUE GOVT RETIRES 10 PERM SECS, SCRAPS SURE-P

BENUE GOVT RETIRES 10 PERM SECS, SCRAPS SURE-P Governor Samuel Ortom The Benue State Executive Council has today approved the retirement of 10 Permanent Secretaries with one redeployed to the Federal Civil Service. Those reportedly affected include Okoh Joseph, Steve Ato, Tsegba Igbalumun and Vincent Shabu. Others were John Adole, Asen Sambe, Peter Torjun Anune Akperan, Godwin Ejembi as well as Terna Iryokan while Eugene Ivase was redeployed to the Federal Civil Service. The Commissioner of Information, Mr Ode Agih who briefed newsmen after what was an emergency meeting of the council also revealed that they approved the scrapping of the state SURE-P and directed the Commissioner of Finance to submit a comprehensive report of the program. He added that 7 SURE-P vehicles had been recovered from the immediate past administration.

http://benue.com.ng/

Youth Corper Collapses During Morning Drills at Orientation Camp in Oyo.

Youth Corper Collapses During Morning Drills at Orientation Camp in Oyo.

A female youth corper collapsed on Monday morning while taking part in morning drills exercise at the camp ground where the incidence occurred and rushed to the camp clinic by her fellow corpers.

BENUE: TITUS ZAM DISCUSSES BAILOUT; THE PROCEDURE, CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

While supervising the disbursement of bailout funds for local government workers at the ICT Center of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs last Sunday evening, Mr. Titus Zam, Special Adviser, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs gladly obliged to an interview by the Spean Adviser on Media and ICT, Mr Tahav Agerzua. Read excerpts below: Where are we on the disbursement of bailout funds as at 5pm on Sunday, November 8th 2015? We are disbursing the N15.5 billion bailout funds given to us by his Excellency, the Governor of Benue State, to take care of the backlog of salary arrears left behind by the past administration which he inherited. So far we have disbursed for April and March for primary school teachers and as I speak to you we are disbursing January and February arrears for them. When we complete disbursement for primary school teachers hopefully by tomorrow, (yesterday) we will now come back and disburse to local government staff the remaining two months plus, I say two months plus because their arrears cover a period of four months, January, February, March and April; besides, there are pockets of arrears for 2011, 2012, and 2013 which we are going to clear with the amount from the monies approved to us by the Governor of Benue State. At the moment we are focused on the ones for the months I mentioned in respect of 2015 and so after that we will still look back and capture the arrears. Why has it taken so long to finish the disbursement? The procedure for the disbursement is a bit scientific, it’s not a matter of picking money from a particular point and throwing it into individual workers’ accounts. You will recall that there were two schools of thoughts as to how the funds will be disbursed, some people were of the opinion that these funds should be given to the local government arrears for onward disbursement to Local Government Staff while others suggested that money should be given directly to the individual local government accounts and we have chosen the second option which is electronically paying money into the individual local government staff accounts, reason being that local government areas have all manner of indebtedness and challenges that require financial attention. Possibility exists that if you pass these monies wholesome, some local government workers may not get their due. Some local governments may have no problems but many will have problems that may lead to touching the bailout funds. But you and I are aware that this money is meant for a special purpose which is payment of salary arrears, so it makes better sense to adopt the e-payment procedure which we are going through now. The little delay we are experiencing is as a result of two major reasons. First, the volume of money, N15.5 billion to be disbursed to up to 40,000 workers, representing primary school teachers and local government staff is not a small task. The system is working in such a way that we at the Bureau headquarters are disbursing to the direct salary accounts of local government workers and primary school teachers through the electronic payment system. There is a system called the Interswitch, the central medium through which this money is disbursed and then they now share it amongst individual workers through their bank accounts in various banks in the Federation. Take for example you, Tahav, you are a staff of a local government area and you bank with Union Bank, the next person banks with First Bank, and all of that. We disburse these funds into your own account through the Interswitch process. It is their duty to now distribute these monies according to the individual workers’ accounts. We at the Bureau here at the ICT Center are to identify your bank, identify how much you are supposed to collect and then send the money to the central control system known as Interswitch who are now going to distribute this money to the individual worker. And so picking the account of individual workers here from 40,000 requires time. You have to be careful so that you will pick the correct sum of money, correct bank account and you also pick the correct bank so that monies will not miss their way as to where they are supposed to go. Secondly, the most critical challenge we are facing here is that since this is an electronic process that has to do with network (the air waves) sometimes for five to six hours the system is shut down, and we have no control over this system. So we have to sit down here for those number of hours waiting for the system to be cleared. This is a hitech technology that is beyond the immediate control of the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, so that period that is taking us to wait sometimes gives the impression to those outside that we are not serious, but I tell you today being Sunday I have not gone out to worship my God. Yesterday, I did not go anywhere myself, the President of NULGE, Benue State Chapter, NUT Chairman Benue State Chapter, and the management staff of this office. We are all here and as you can see today, I am still here to ensure that the right thing is done. Let me use this medium to appeal to our workers to be patient, the Governor means very well for the workers that is why in the first place, he sourced for these monies to pay their arrears. The process may be cumbersome but the objective is for the benefit of Local Government workers and primary school teachers. We are mindful of the fact that this money needs to go to them and we have to protect it. So we demand of them patience and understanding. Why did you not do table payment? The table payment is not going to benefit the individual workers and so our major objective is to ensure the security of this money and to ensure that the individual worker gets his or her arrears. If you do table payment it will require carrying physical money from one place to another, there may be a security challenge. If you do table payment, there may also be a possibility of diversion from different layers through which the monies will be passing. It is better, safer and neater to direct this money straight to the account of the individual worker who has served the state and was owed this money. It is neater and I think it is in their interest to support the e-payment system. What have you done about complaints of people who died, were not captured, retired but have worked for this money? We have taken steps to ensure that everybody who is supposed to benefit from this bailout benefits. For the category of people you have mentioned, those that worked for this money and died, those retired, those that were not captured but are genuine workers, already a committee was put in place after the first verification exercise to look into those people who fall into this categories. Since money for specific salary arrears is not our problem now, we are sure the money that was made available to us will take care of every Benue worker who deserves to be paid. When we take care of the first set of people that were captured and pay them their money, those that were not captured for one reason or the other but we’re captured during the complaint verification we will pay them afterwards. Those that died but are supposed to benefit from the bailout will also be given their money through their next of kin. We will compile the list, already, we have asked for the list from the individual local government areas and the list will be taken care of. The reason why we are not doing all of this simultaneously with the payment of salary is that in the process their might be confusion, so we have set aside the monies for these category of people and we’re going to give them their money after we are done with the people who are alive, working and were capture in the field. I want to use this medium to also explain this point. Most of hose that are crying wolf are the ones that were disqualified in the field because of the nature of their employment. We earlier said those that were illegally employed will not benefit from this bailout funds because they are not genuine workers of Benue State and we cannot patronize them. So if you hear complaints, try to separate those that are genuine complaints from those that are not genuine. The ones making the loudest noise are those that know themselves that they don’t stand to benefit from the bailout funds. There is also a political angle to this matter. The opposition will always make issues out of nothing. The very same people that refused to pay Benue State workers that made us to now go and borrow to pay workers are the ones inciting the people to complain. If for four months he did not pay Benue workers and you are out of office and the next government that comes into power has borrowed money I see no reason why such a genuine worker will be complaining. I think the voices your hearing from the field are not the voices of genuine workers of Benue State because they know Governor Samuel Ortom loves them and has taken this step to ensure that they get what was denied them under the past administration. People complain that you made a submission for which funds were released, why do you insist on a verification exercise? At any point you are using public money your first objective is to ensure prudence, accountability and honesty. Yes, we were guided by the facts; we were given this information by the previous administrationa, that is the number of workers in the local government system. From that figure we requested the Federal Government to intervene. But it was not proper for us to begin to verify at that early stage because we hadn’t the information of who is supposed to benefit and who was is not. Our major objective was to look for money and come and give the people who deserve the money. Now the money has come. It is immoral, it is carelessness and is wrong for us to throw these monies into the gutter just because some figures were given to us. It is a loan that must be repaid and so if you take a loan and don’t utilize it judiciously the burden of repaying the loan still rests on your shoulders, and so the Benue people must know that not every Tom, Dick and Harry that claims to be a Benue worker will be given this money. The money will go to those that genuinely deserve to be given, not the people that were smuggled into the state payroll system, it doesn’t make any meaning collecting this loan that we are going to pay back within 20 years, then we allow it to go the way the local government funds were going in the previous dispensation. I think we owe it a duty to sanitize the Benue society especially the local governments where most of our people reside. What about pensions and gratuities? His Excellency the Governor of Benue State has said it time and time again that when he met the Presidency to intervene in these liabilities, the President only approved funds for the payment of salary arrears and the instruction to him was specific: clear salary arrears. The other liabilities he inherited including contractual commitments will be taken care of afterwards and so monies available to us from the Central Bank as approved by the President of this country are for salary arrears. But efforts are being made to approach the Presidency again to be given support so as to take care of the pension arrears that we inherited. So for now we still plead for time, we still plead for patience. Many people have come here suggesting that the money be shared between pensioners and workers, but If we do that the workers who are currently serving will have issues with us because the directive to us is to pay them their money and not to direct any kobo to any government programme or project. If we do that we will be violating the President’s directive and our own commitment to the Benue worker. That those not mean pensioners will not be considered, but for now first things first. There is this allegation that you diverted N3 billion into your private account once this bailout came to the Bureau, what’s your reaction? Those allegations have already been taken care of by the Governor of Benue State who publicly said that allegation is political, it’s not true and should be discarded. There is no way I could have diverted N3 billion from the bailout funds. At as the time the allegation was first made, the money was still at the Ministry of Finance and as at the time this allegation was thrown up into the air, the money hadn’t reached the account of the Bureau which the Governor had put me to preside over. I had not even taken delivery of the money, so how could I have accessed N3 billion? I think that was in the imagination perpetrators of fraud from the previous system that we inherited when it was not news for such monies to be diverted. During the Ortom administration it is not not even possible, the control mechanism put in place and such that you don’t even have such access. Those peddling this rumour are the ones who are guilty of those practices when they were here. The mistake they are making is that they are telling us that if they were the ones sitting where I’m sitting this is what they would have done. But I thank God, it is not possible for me to have done that. It even conflicts with my principles as an individual and my oath to the government and people of Benue State where I promised to be transparent and accountable. Like I earlier said the Governor of Benue State has responded to that, I did not touch a dime, I will not touch a dime and I shall not touch a dime of any public funds that are brought before me. From your projection when are you going to complete the first phase of this exercise? The next three days at most, today is Sunday, am here, by Monday, 9th, Tuesday is 10th, Wednesday, 11th, we should have completed the first phase of those who are going to get. But I want to be very careful in giving these dates because as I earlier said the process of disbursement is electronically determined. It is not something that I can pick manually from this point to the other, it depends largely on the workings of the electronic process but the way we are going, having taken care of primary school teachers, by tomorrow, (Monday) we will finish that of local government staff. I think in the next three days we should be able to take care of everybody inspite of the systemic challenges we are going through. Three days we should be able to do that. How are you able to get feedback, how are you able to know that these monies have hit the accounts of individual workers? There are two ways of generating the feedback. The first is from the individual workers, when you disburse, let’s say to Makurdi local government for instance, and the workers there get the alert through their phones they call you and tell you that “oh thanks, we have gotten our money”. That is the first way of getting the feedback. The second one is, it’s the electronic system, once the money is delivered there is a feedback on the system. If there is a failed transaction the system still indicates. You see on the computers that a failed transaction has occurred and then you know that this money didn’t get to the required destination, and then you continue to press the bottom for the money to go. If that fails as a result of the network or the account is dormant or maybe because the individual did not put the correct number of his or her account, you will now allow the individual worker to forward the correct information or you find a way of reaching them through their heads, either the Education Secretary, in case of teachers, and Treasurer in case of local government workers to note that such a transaction has failed, and then the individual worker needs to come forward and supply the needed information. So these are the two medium for which we are assessing the situation and getting feedback. Let’s be specific, I’m from Ushongo, what’s the situation of the workers there with regards to this payment? In Ushongo Local Government, I know of fact that primary school teachers have been paid April and March 2014 salary arrears. Local Government staff too have been paid for the same period. As I speak to you we are going back to pay the remaining two months being January and February. Those months are to be paid before we go to bed this night. When we are done with those four months for the primary school teachers, we will go back and pay the remaining two months for the local government category. After which as I earlier said we will look further beyond 2014 and see those months that for one reason or the other they were not paid by the previous administration. Time was here In Benue State when people were paid quarter salary, half salary depending on the thinking of the godfather of those days. The situation is not too clear, that is why we are having some of these challenges, and so the figures keep changing you know. Some local and departments were paid and others not paid. The same local government, some will be paid half salary, others will be paid quarter salary. It’s difficult for you to get the exact picture but we are on top of the situation. We have continued to request for the relevant Information from the relevant quarters and they are being given to us. That’s the reason why you have been hearing of people not been paid the correct amount of money. Some people because they were given quarter salary they expect to be given the other 1/3rd or 1/4th, some were given half and they expect to get the other half. We are computing all of these, and we will take care of them as a group. if you take individual cases as they appear there will be confusion. So we are compiling complains, genuine ones will be attended to. Let me use the language of general Gowon “money is not our problem now”. We have N15.5 billion in our kitty and Governor Ortom says he is not going to touch a kobo out of it as the money is for local government areas of Benue State. Every kobo will be given out to the individual worker. It’s a matter of patience. What have you done about the health departments that were behind? They have been paid. They have been given their July salary alongside August. As things are now, where do you stand on local government salary? Local Government salaries were paid for the month of August. When we collect the October allocation we will take care of September. There is a small history about this. I earlier said something somewhere, that when the new Government came on board, His Excellency, out of kindness decided to pay local government salary one month behind. He came in June. Remember he was sworn-in on the 29th of May, and he assumed duty on the 1st of June or thereabout. He didn’t start paying salaries from June, he started in May. The allocation for June was used in paying May salary, he got July, he paid June, he got September he paid August, now when we get October we will pay September. That is where we stand. So when people give this impression that local governments are owned two months, it’s very misleading information. Now that we have gotten October allocation, we are going to use it to pay September. It is because of the lack of funds. We met with the NUT and NULGE leadership that from August when we noticed a sharp drop in the allocation to local governments and indeed Benue State as a whole, we met with the union leaders and resolved to be taking care of each of these categories installmentally. How do I mean? For this current month of October for example, we are going to pay only primary school teachers. For the September allocation that we got we only paid local government workers. So by November when we take we will now pay local government staff. So we will be alternating between these two sectors. If resources permit we will take care of all of them at the same time, but as resources did not permit for this month, we will only take care of only the primary school teachers. Local Government last month, primary school this month we will go that way until God brings succour. When there are insufficient funds, why don’t you combine two months and pay one month completely for everybody? No, one sector will wait for too long. Remember that the economic situation in the country is generally harsh. So if one sector is to wait for two months, majority of these people will not be there for you. Some for health reasons, some their children will miss school. So it’s better to alternate than to compact. If they had to wait, then those that will wait will have to wait for 60 days. In the face of the harsh Economic weather we are facing, that will be too punitive. It’s better to wait for thirty days. Do you have any other comments or advice? Yes I do. My first comment will be that these arrears were inherited. Yes, government is a continuous process no doubt, but somebody was in the saddle and he didn’t pay your salary. Somebody else has taken over government of the state and has gone out of his way to source for money, to go and borrow and pay you. Good conscience demands that you appreciate such a person. Good conscience demands that you should be patient.

http://benue.com.ng/

Ways To Touch A Woman

Women love to be touched, and they respond more to touch than men. I guess that is why they are always constantly pushing men away from having any form of physical contact with them. While a guy will go all hard and swallowing his Adam apple at the sight of a curvaceous woman. It takes most women more than your good looks or your six packs to get to a point where they can’t wait for you ravish their body. And one of the ways you blow your girl’s mind is if you know how to touch her vagina professionally, yes. As in, handle it like a profession. Trust me if you can do it well, you would have her looking forward to relive the experience with you over and over again. So, how do you do it right? How do you touch your woman or any other woman for that matter *winks*

Learning how to touch or finger your woman’s vagina can help improve your sexual repertoire. With the right type of stimulation, you can help her reach orgasm just by using your fingers and hands. It’s also a great activity to do when you’re not in the right place or don’t have time to strip off all your clothes. You know when you are in a dark corner on the club’s dance floor, or while you are just making out during lunch break at work.

But the best situation to touch your woman is when you are both relaxed, or at worst, when she is relaxed and you are both in the comfort of your room. And in this scenario, you might need a lubricant. Yes, lubricant. You can ask around for some good lubricants and you can just ask your girl. Now, let’s get into the art of touching her step by step.

 Know what she likes.

 All women are different and have different sensitive areas on their genital regions. Some women enjoy full finger penetration, while others would prefer you stay near the outer edge of the vagina, which is usually more sensitive. Clitoral stimulation is key for most women while fingering, but some women don’t like having their clitoris touched directly. But in all, knowing what your woman wants is the beginning of taking her to that sexual Eldorado. All you need to do is just ask.

 Start slow.

 No matter what she tells you, or what some of your friends have told you about touching a woman’s vagina; never jump in full force. Remember, you have to arouse her first. Talk dirty, touch her breasts, rub her thighs, kiss her belly-button, kiss her thigh, suck her toes, make her shiver – just whatever your partner needs to get aroused is exactly what you should be doing before you finger her vagina.

 Touch her softly.

 When she’s aroused, she is sure to be wet. After that, proceed to rub her vaginal lips softly, starting at the base of the vaginal canal. You’ll feel the moisture and know that you can go in deeper. But continue this motion for a few more strokes to get her more aroused. Don’t touch the clitoris just yet. Make her moan and whine that beautiful waist. By now, she would even be asking you to insert your finger deeper, but don’t fall for the temptation. Your goal is to satisfy her and make her have your number on speed dial whenever she is in the mood to play. So take more time to touch her softly until she is more aroused.

 Now insert your fingers slowly.

 When she’s plenty wet, insert your finger, the first one, mostly the index, two or three fingers – whatever she likes, into her vaginal canal. But remember to vary your movement, you can ask her if she likes you to insert more fingers, yes. Some women can take the whole fist. Ridiculous? Maybe, but nothing is impossible.

 G-spot is next.

 I remember I have written about how to locate the g-spot. Most of us get it wrong and we never actually find it. If you didn’t read it then, learn it here. When you insert your fingers into the vaginal canal, push them upward toward her stomach. You may be able to feel a small area that has a different texture than the rest of the vaginal canal, much like the roof of your mouth. That’s the g-spot. You might not be able to find it in all women, but if you find it, push on it with full thrusts, as you would your penis during intercourse, stimulating it with fast, even motions.

 Don’t forget the clitoris.

 For the majority of women, clitoral stimulation is the key to climaxing. Rub softly all around her clitoris, which is located just inside the vaginal lips near the top of her genitals. Don’t forget to borrow some lubrication from her vaginal canal. Never rub a dry clitoris or clitoral region. Once she gets really revved up, you can touch the clitoris directly and quicken the pace. You should also be varying the motion, such as flicking back and forth or rubbing in circular motions. When she’s close to reaching orgasm, touch the clitoris directly and move fast. Keep moving faster and faster until she climaxes.

But note that you should not be touching a dry vagina because this will likely be uncomfortable or even painful for her. If your woman is not wet enough at first; use lubrication like I suggested earlier, before starting the fingering process. In my opinion, water-based lubrication is the best.

After all these, do NOT forget to eat her pussy. Yes! DO NOT FORGET. Maybe I might write on how best to eat your woman someday. Or maybe a generous female reader can help us. Just indicate in the comment section. Stay Safe.

Looking for Love

If you're single and looking to meet someone special, your prospects look quite interesting these days. Last week love planet Venus entered the part of your chart connected to mind expansion and internationalism. This suggests that you might meet someone new through a learning endeavor (college campus for example), through international travel, or even meet someone who is from another part of the world. This Thursday action planet Mars joins the same part of your chart in relationship Libra. This might trigger a meeting.

The Blood of a Stranger

In this first play in the collection, playwright Raymond Dele-Charley critiques the exploitation of Africans who find themselves under a European power. The play opens with Maligu, the Chief advisor, announcing, from a letter he received, that an unknown white man would be coming to their village. He has of course convinced the corrupt priest, Soko, to prophecy that they should welcome this visitor. In a community that has not accepted visitors since the war, this is hard news to take.
Download full Analysis here http://spotidoc.com/doc/961385/waec-and-neco-literature-drama

The Blood of a Stranger

The Blood of a Stranger In this first play in the collection, playwright Raymond Dele-Charley critiques the exploitation of Africans who find themselves under a European power. The play opens with Maligu, the Chief advisor, announcing, from a letter he received, that an unknown white man would be coming to their village. He has of course convinced the corrupt priest, Soko, to prophecy that they should welcome this visitor. In a community that has not accepted visitors since the war, this is hard news to take. Visitors to them mean sickness, disease, and fighting. But because the people of Mando land believe that Soko has been sent this vision from their forefathers, they make preparations to welcome the visitor. Kindo, chief warrior and son of the King, feels something is amiss. He knows that Soko and Maligu are corrupt, and he is suspicious when Soko claims to have had visions permitting the stranger entry. The white man, Whitehead, soon reveals to Maligu that his true motive is diamonds. He has lied to the king, giving the impression that he would plant tobacco, build a school, and help the village. His real intention is to have the farmers unknowingly harvest the diamonds for him. Apart from being a very gripping drama, the play vividly exhibits key aspects of Sierra Leonean history and culture. The white man symbolizes Britain's rape of Sierra Leonean natural resources. In this play, Sierra Leonean people are presented not only as victimized, but also as complicit in the exploitation of their own people. Through the gifts of "strange tobacco" and alcohol, Whitehead takes advantage of the drugged natives and exploits their resources. With the help of Maligu and Soko, Whitehead also tries to rape Kindo's woman, Wara, but in the end his elaborate plans fail. Dele-Charley clearly makes the point that justice always wins out against oppression. http://www.amazon.com/

PANDEMONIUM AS NAF PERSONNEL ALLEGEDLY INVADE BENUE COMMUNITY

There was pandemonium at the weekend in Ugondo Mega Layout, Phase Two of Makurdi, Benue State capital as men of the Tactical Air Command of the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) allegedly invaded the community, manhandling residents and damaging some property and other petty articles of the residents. Victims and eyewitnesses, some, who are resident of the area, alleged that the NAF personnel, numbering about 200 and led by their commander, stormed the community in the early hours of Saturday in three trucks, armed and entered houses already occupied, those under construction, beating up some of the residents, claiming that the land they were living belongs to the NAF. Narrating their ordeal to journalists on a visit to the affected area, residents were seen in groups discussing their next line of action, even as women and children were already trying to relocate to other areas for safety. Some of them that spoke to The Guardian on condition of anonymity said they personally saw the NAF Commander, who allegedly gave the order for the destruction of the houses and assault on the residents. “The NAF Commander was among the personnel that came to wreak havoc on us. A Professor that lived among us tried to calm him down not to terrorise us but to no avail. They beat us up, with our wives, destroyed our houses and asked us to vacate the area within few days. Some of our neighbours were rushed to the hospitals due to injuries sustained and because of the trauma they got. Also, working tools belonging to labourers working on the site and their bags as well as mixed and unmixed cement and electrical fittings were forcefully destroyed. The sum of N3, 500 was also snatched from a widow, one Mrs. Dorcas Kambe,” they narrated. Still speaking on the ground of anonymity, some landlords in the community insisted they did not occupy the area illegally but the land was allocated to them by the state government with necessary papers and expressed surprise why NAF officials are trying to forcefully collect it from them. One of the victims and a lecturer at the State University, Makurdi, Pila Nasela said he was ordered to lie face down and kiss the ground before he was given the beating of his life, while Mrs. Gladys Gaadi said she was given a week ultimatum to leave her house or would lose her things when next they come. The Guardian investigation in the area revealed that the state government had agreed to compensate the NAF authorities for a piece of land adjacent to the attacked area, even as investigation has it that the action of the NAF personnel could be a measure to ginger government action in that regard. Another woman whose house was allegedly torched but refused to disclose her identity on security grounds said when members of the community were building their houses, nobody came to stop them, and appealed to Governor Samuel Ortom to wade into the matter to solve it once and for all. Expressing dismay over the incident, the Ter Makurdi, HRH Chief Sule Abenga condemned the attack on his subjects allegedly by the NAF officials without due process and appealed to his people to remain calm and await the response from government. http://www.ngrguardiannews.com and http://benue.com.ng/

I’M NOT A THIEF, I’M NOT A CRIMINAL, I DIDN’T STEAL MONEY – SUSWAM

Former Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue, says he did not steal government money, neither did he siphon money from the state. Suswam, who is on trial over money laundering and embezzlement, said on Sunday that he’s not a thief nor a criminal. Speaking at a special thanksgiving service organised for him at the Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Makurdi, Suswam said: “I am not a thief, I’m not a criminal, I did not steal government money neither did I syphon the state’s resources.” “In our time, we assumed office under tough circumstances, but we were able to achieve a milestone. The fact is that no one can do the job of governnce at once. “You do your best and leave the rest. I did my best. And I refused to demonize anyone when I assumed office, though I was pushed to do so by forces and individuals but I refused. “That seat of governor of Benue State is the hottest in the country. If you spend one day in office as a governor, and if somebody takes over, and he wants to take you to jail, he will do so. “The fact is that nobody is a saint, we have serious economic situation. I raised the alarm, they said I was stealing money, my successor is raising same alarm today.” “Unfortunately, the Tiv man always wants to bring down his own brother, the truth is that as governor, there is no way you cannot step on toes. http://benue.com.ng/ ”

S-East govs divided over pro- Biafra struggle

Corrupt S-East governors sponsoring Biafra — Ohanaeze, Okorocha By Emma Amaize, Vincent Ujumadu, Chidi Nkwopara, Jimitota Onoyume, Francis Igata, Ugochukwu Alaribe & Jude Opara ENUGU — South-East governors appeared divided, yesterday over the ongoing pro-Biafra Republic protests. While Imo and Ebonyi states kicked against the protests, Abia State remained neutral, while Anambra State said it was studying the developments. Pro-Biafra protesters Also the umbrella body of Igbo socio-cultural organisations, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha have distanced themselves from the ongoing protests in the South-East for the actualisation of Republic of Biafra, saying all genuine Igbo leaders are against the protests. Okorocha, who is also the chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Governors’ Forum, said that the reported violent protests in some states’ capitals, including those of Rivers, Anambra and Delta, in the name of Biafra, do not in any way have the support or blessing of the governors and leaders of the South-East geo-political zone either directly or indirectly. Meantime, the Biafra protests continued, yesterday, in Aba, Enugu and Port-Harcourt.

All you need to know about Mas turbation – Is it Evil?, Is it Safe? Is it Common? Do Girls do it? What is the Risk?
Masturbation is the self-stimulation of the se.x organs and other erogenous body parts for the purpose of pleasure,

usually leading to or targeting org.asm. Simply put, it is having solo se.x by touching yourself. Many people mas.turbate, and it has been described as the only form of se.x with zero risk of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy. It is believed that mas.turbation has no identifiable physical, psychological, or emotional harmful – unless it becomes an addiction. For many people, it starts as private self-exploration before real sexual activity. It can also be healthy way to express and explore one’s sexuality and to release sexual tension without necessarily having intercourse, thereby escaping the risks. Is Mas.turbation safe? Yes, it has been said to be the safest form of se.x because it is not possible to get an STD or get pregnant by touching yourself. Unlike in other se.x, you cannot be cheated or abused since it you and you alone. Is Mas.turbation evil? No, there are differing opinions about the act, especially based on religion and morality. But health experts have described it as normal and it is a personal choice anyone can make. Its evil status is only so defined by some religious labelings. How common is Mas.turbation? It is very common among youths and adults. It has been stated that 95% of all people, male and female mas.turbate with a degree of frequency. Se.x wise, some surveys state that about 90% of men and 65% of women do it. 405 Users Online Do girls Mas.turbate? Members of both sexes mas.turbate. Surveys have shown that more men/boys mas.turbate but this could be due to the fact that women hardly talk about mas.turbating. One survey says about 59% of women age 18 and younger have masturbated. Are there any risks in mas.turbating? Though there is no direct risk of mas.turbation, doing it too frequently can lead to erectile dysfunction, pain in the pe.nis and premature eja.culation. How Do You Mas.turbate? There is no one way to mas.turbate. Basically, you touch yourself in places that give you pleasure – with or without a se.x toy – until you reach a peak of se.xual pleasure. Is mas.turbation sexually rewarding? The effect of mas.turbation is almost like that of normal se.x. It leads to very strong org.asms if done right. Sometimes, it can even be more intense and enjoyable because you don’t have to think about what the partner feels and there is also no shame. The privacy of it sometimes gives and added excitement. Is Mas.turbation a kind of Se.x? Yes, because you get the same reward as se.x. Once you get se.xual pleasure from an act, then it is se.x. So mas.turbation is se.x Can one mas.turbate and still be a vir.gin? Unless a se.x toy, like a dildo or vibrator, is inserted into a va.gina, it can be safely assumed that the hymen is still in place, meaning the person is still a vir.gin. But people have differing definition of vir.ginity. So it depends on the person in question. Se.x experts have often said mas.turbation is natural, normal, and healthy, a way of self-exploration and se.xual expression with little or no associated risks. However, moderation is needed because excessive mas.turbation has been associated to problems like premature eja.culation.
 Source. www.coldgist.com/

Another Good News for Nigeria

Chinwendu Ihe zuo grabbed the winner against the hosts as the Falconets picked a precious ticket to Papua New Guinea 2016 Nigeria’s U20 women team qualified for the Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea after defeating hosts, South Africa 1-0 on Sunday, and winning 3-1 on aggregate. Chiwendu Ihezuo’s solitary effort was all the Falconets needed to see off Basetsana in the second leg, final round at the Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa. Surprisingly, it was the Nigerians that had the brightest start against their hosts, coming close from a free kick in the seventh minute. The Falconets kept dictating the pace in Tembisa, but the South Africans made a brave attempt on goal through Gabriela Salgado, however, her effort was thwarted by Nigeria’s goalkeeper Sandra Chiichii. In the 17th minute, the visitors snatched the precious lead through free scoring forward Ihezuo who silenced the home fans and raised her goal tally in the qualifying round to six. The Basetsana rallied for a comeback, but struggled to contain lanky Ihezuo whose continued torment on the hosts’ defence but with her effort going over the bar. Nigeria retained their narrow lead to end the first half. The Falconets have now qualified for the fifth time and will await the winner between Ghana and Ethiopia to emerge as Africa’s two representatives at the 2016 Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea.

U17 W/Cup Final: Nigeria beat Mali, make history

U17 W/Cup Final: Nigeria beat Mali, make history November 09, 2015 at 12:51 am.
Nigeria entered the history books today as only the second country to retain the U17 World Cup courtesy of 2-0 victory of Mali in the final of the championship in Chile. Brazil were the first team to successfully defend this trophy – they won in 1997 and retained it in 1999. The Golden Eaglets have already won the competition a record four times, and successfully defended the trophy they won two years ago in Abu Dhabi. Today’s showdown was the second all-African FIFA U17 World Cup. The first was in 1993, when Nigeria beat Ghana 2-1 at Japan ’93. SOURCE: http://www.vanguardngr.com/

Nigeria - 2 Mali - 0

...so far Nigeria is leading with 2 goals

My vagina is swollen on one side

By Aunty Julie Aunty Julie, I’m ashamed of telling you this because it is very embarrassing but I have masturbated for a few years now and I’m now 26. My vagina used to be completely normal looking but over the years the inside of my vagina, when I open the lips, is really swollen on one side. I am trying to stop masturbating and have now gone a month without doing it but the swelling stays there permanently and I also have discharge all the time but it is more like cum sort of consistency. I just want to be normal and I’m still a virgin but when I do want to have sex I can’t because I’m so embarrassed! What do I do? Adiele, Enugu Dear Adiele, Don’t be ashamed because a lot of people masturbate. So you don’t need to feel embarrassed. Masturbating is not likely to have caused the swelling on one side of your vagina. It is hard to say without a doctor or nurse examining you but sometimes glands around the vagina get blocked and this can cause swelling called cysts. These can be very painful. You are still a virgin so we know you don’t have a sexually transmitted infection. I know it can feel embarrassing to go to a doctor about vaginal problems or to be examined down there. Would it help if you saw a female doctor or took a friend (or a sister or your mother) with you for moral support? You haven’t done anything wrong. These glands create the fluid that moistens this area of our body and sometimes they get blocked causing a swelling on one side. The doctor may need to give you treatment, such as antibiotics if it’s infected or to do small surgery to help drain the swelling. The sooner this is checked, the sooner the swelling can be treated and fixed so when you do want to have sex, everything will be normal again. What is great is that you have realised there is this problem happening and have asked some good questions about it.

Why I don’t wear pants -Baby Blanche

Due to the kind of clothes she likes to wear and is comfortable in, Baby Blanche has revealed in an interview with Showbiz that she hardly wears panties when she’s going out. “I love all kinds of lingerie that make a woman feminine because I’m a woman, but I hardly wear panties. This is not because I don’t want to wear them but because the clothes I love to wear wouldn’t permit me to,” she told Showbiz. “I try as much as possible to act as a lady and not to let my panty lines show just because I like to wear dresses that hug my figure. So if I wear clothes and the outline of my panty is glaring like that I don’t like it,” she explained. “Being a lady is not only about wearing make- up and Brazilian hair but also comprises the propriety of whatever you’re wearing,” says Baby Blanche. She adds that she does not worry much about thoughts that she may be sexually assaulted by unscrupulous men because she makes sure she doesn’t go to awkward places at awkward hours.

Biafra Nation

Gbaramatu kingdom not part of Biafra, community leaders warn November 08, 2015 at 7:58 pm in News The leaders of Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State, have warned that Gbaramatu kingdom is not part of Biafra. Elder Dickson Agagha, who spoke on behalf of the leaders at a meeting in Warri, insisted that Gbaramatu kingdom will never be part of Biafra, saying that any son or daughter of the kingdom making such a move to include Gbaramatu in Biafra will fail. They also appealed to all youths in the kingdom to remain law- abiding, expressing hope that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will address the neglect and marginalisation of Gbaramatu kingdom by immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan. “The five years of Jonathan as President actually brought pains and hardship to Gbaramatu kingdom, while only his associates from the kingdom were empowered to the detriment of the kingdom”. They said further, “ we are reiterating our call on President Buhari to prevail on the appropriate authorities to embark on the rebuilding of Okerenkoko community and other communities destroyed maliciously by JTF some years ago”.2015

BENUE: BETWEEN DEFICIT TREASURY AND POLITICS OF BORROWING

By Solomon Ayado
 The situation in the Benue State is pathetic; the already poverty stricken state in the North Central zone called the food basket of the nation is now living in its past glory. There seem to be no hope that the Benue will soon be out from the financial mud it had been enmeshed in.
Indigenes of the state have lamented bitterly that, with the current financial crisis in the state, it would be difficult time for any government, particularly the present ‘change’ administration to record remarkable achievements. They worry about not seeing any hope for the younger generation and the ones yet unborn. The thinking is that the sustainability of democracy depends on the earnest expending of resources, and for a state to foster any politically recognized progress, the polity must not suffer the kind of lack Benue suffers currently in terms of funds. At the moment, the cost of even running the state government has stretched its borrowing spree to the limit. But a cursory look at the politics of the state and how it got to this sorry state of operating not just an empty but also a deficit treasury would reveal that it is the result of bad governance and wasteful spending of past administrations. Some analysts have blamed the past administrations of former governors George Akume and Gbariel Suswam for the current economic recession in the state.
They said these two successive past regimes dug a deep and buried the state financially. According to them, since the return of democracy in 1999 the administrations of Akume and Suswam got engaged in high level financial recklessness, outright corruption and sordid misappropriation of funds, without properly devising measures of raising the revenue generation bar.Over time, political leaders in the state seemingly became too consumed by their self seeking attitude of personal aggrandizement which made them become less responsive to the plight of the people. They involved themselves in shoddy. The state house of assembly lacked the rectitude and impulse to checkmate the excesses and corrupt practices in the executive arm of government. This, pundits say, is one of the many reasons why Benue State is currently running its government on borrowed resources, without an envisaged measure of internal revenue generation to cover these financial gaps. Retrospectively, since the inception of the Akume administration, several allegations of fund diversion, sale of government property and general financial recklessness were adduced. Pundits have argued that there was no way issues of financial crisis in the state would be raised without mentioning the Akume tenure. According to them, he held sway as governor at the time democratic rule returned, after several years of military misrule. As such, they said he cannot, be exonerated from the state’s treasury debacle. Yet, there is another school of thought that hold strongly that although the past administration of Akume enhanced development, it also laid a faulty foundation in terms of handling the finances of the state. Pundits in this category believe strongly that the immediate past administration of Suswam aggravated the logjam and further threw the state into a total financial mess. When Governor Samuel Ortom of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took over the mantle of leadership of the richly endowed agricultural state, he declared that he was “not just inheriting an empty treasury, but that he was presiding over not just an empty but A deficit treasury.” According to him, the financial profile of the state showed that it accrued a huge left over of debts and unpaid salaries and contractual arrears, as well as pension allowances and gratuities. It became imperative for the governor to quickly constitute two judicial commissions of inquiry to probe the administration of former governor Suswam. Before then, the governor had set up a financial and asset verification committee headed by former head of service, Mike Iordye and the committee after thorough investigations revealed the debt profile of the state. The state was owing to the tune of over N150 billion. This, according to analysts, is a very outrageous debt profile. The blamed it on the alleged financial recklessness of the immediate past administration of Suswam on one hand, and an alleged bad precedence of former governor Akume administration on the other. But just before the judicial commissions of inquiry as constituted by Ortom was completing its assigned duties of digging into facts about the financial status of the state between 2007 and 2015, Suswam quickly approached the court, praying it to stop them from probing him. He claimed that, while the probe panel was maliciously composed of only APC members, there was no way he could secure justice in such a sensitive panel. He however, insisted he only left a debt profile of N9.3 billion. Suswam argued that his taking to borrowing was to offset salaries and build infrastructure for the state. “There is no way that I would have borrowed N130 billion or N150 billion as being bandied because at different times, the figures of debt profile have been bandied but throughout my eight years, I borrowed N13 billion through a bond and the second one was N4.5 billion and all together making N 17.5 and the records are there. It is not something that was done under the carpet”, he said. Again, when Governor Ortom assumed office, he towed the same line by quickly proceeding on a borrowing spree. According to him, the state’s treasury was left empty and in deficit, and there was no way he could start government without any financial augmentation. For a start, he borrowed N10 billion from the capital market to ensure his government takes immediately after that, he secured another loan of N5b and later entered into the bailout agreement with the federal government to secure a loan of N28b. At the moment, the governor has approached the state house of assembly to take another loan of N10 billion to start up practical projects and the loan is being processed. The implication is that if a government would kick-start by borrowing to run its affairs and to execute practical projects, it means that such a state would grapple to meet the yearnings of the people without resources in the treasury. It would at same time proceed with payment of the loans which were granted by the financial market with varied interest rates. Somehow, it would translate that the government cannot run smoothly, if at all it could afford to execute any tangible projects that would be of benefit to the generality of the people. Along the line, there came a dwindling of federal allocation accruing to the state. The state government is seriously faced with a serious challenge of paying its workers salaries, among other financial obligations. But the despondency of the political system tends to be adding salt to injury. It doesn’t really seem to be fashioning out ways to ameliorate the situation. It is even worsened by the fact that there is no request for valid contributions from relevant stakeholders on how the state would go out of the financial mess. The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has accused the governing APC of indulging in a borrowing spree of over N43b in barely six months into the administration. The party said this is more than the amount the its government borrowed when it was on the saddle for eight years. But the APC has faulted the claim, saying PDP’s outburst is shameless, if not hysteric because Ortom only borrowed to address the total collapse and alleged failure of the PDP government led by Suswam. APC said the callous monstrosity and thievery of public funds had become the obscene feature of PDP enterprise in criminalizing governance in Benue state. At the moment, Governor Ortom is confronted with an empty and deficit treasury. But it is expected that he should run responsive government of adressing the challenges of the people. He must source for resources be it in the capital market and or from individual money bags. In doing this, it is most suitable that political stakeholders should unite, shun politics of party sentiment. Rather than distractions, they should support the Ortom administration to succeed. Only in one accord can good governance be delivered to the less privileged.

SOURCE: http://leadership.ng/