The Exectuive Chairman of Otukpo local government council, Hon. George Alli, has returned the sum of N2.3m to the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
DAILY POST gathered that the SUBEB had last week, erroneously wired the said amount into the account of Zaginas Company, a firm that George Alli had interest in before becoming the local government boss.
When his attention was drawn to the credit alert, the LG boss demanded to know if the General Manager of the company was actually expecting any credit transfer in such volume, but discovered that the transaction was done in error.
In a telephone chat with DAILY POST on Tuesday, Alli said he called the General Manager and others for a preliminary investigation, after which, the company wrote to SUBEB, intimating them on the erroneous transaction.
When asked why he decided to instruct the company to return the money and not divert it for its use, the Council boss said, “a good name is better than silver and gold, and if one decides to sit on what does not belong to him, there are ways such person will loose things, 10 times what he is sitting on”.
Alli said “sincerity and honesty have a way of attracting other benefits”, adding that it was not proper holding unto what did not belong to him, thereby causing someone at the government agency to be held responsible for the mistake.
On his part, the Director of Finance and Account of SUBEB, Mr James Sesugh Hon, thanked George Alli, for the uncommon display of honesty, “despite the economic situation, where everyone is looking for money”.
Mr. Hon, who reportedly received the cheque to the tune of N2.3m on behalf of SUBEB from Alli, also enjoined other Nigerians to imbibe the culture of honesty as displayed by the Council Chairman.
“Here is a Nigerian, who was not expecting money, found money in his account, yet returned same”, Hon enthused.
Mr. Hon also explained that, as soon as he was informed by Zaginas Company about the erroneous transaction, he quickly queried the Director of Physical Planning, to find out why the memo of N2.3m was raised in favour of the company.
He, however, explained that, he got a reply that, the files on the subject matter, were taken to Abuja, saying, such verification would not be done until the files were returned.
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