Ortom insists FG’s bailout fund not squandered

Benue State governor, Mr Samuel Ortom on Sunday said his government did not squander or deposit the bailout funds by the Federal Government in banks.

Ortom who made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen in Makurdi, the Benue State capital stressed that the funds were not diverted as widely speculated, adding that the state had embarked on staff audit to verify the actual staff strength and fish out ghost workers.

The Benue State number one citizen stated that those peddling the rumours were mischief makers and people from the opposition whose intention was to distract his government from delivering on its promises.

Ortom described the allegations as baseless and unfounded.

“This is democracy and there is freedom of opinion; the money is meant to pay all workers but even at that, it was later discovered that the released amount would not be enough. And apart from that, there are allowances, pensions and gratuities and by the time we do staff audit, if there are excesses we can address other challenges that the state have.

“The good thing is that nobody is going to divert the money for any reason and that I have instructed. So, I have not lied and the money is not in fixed in deposit account, it is in a domicile account and nobody is going to touch it,” Ortom affirmed.

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