Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia, has explained that his administration decided to freeze state accounts to avoid continuous looting of the state treasury..
The state government had recently said that some senior workers in the state were discovered to have been drawing salaries from three different places: state, local government and State Universal Basic Education Board.
Asked why the need for the continuous closure of the state accounts, the Catholic priest- turned politician said he took the right decision to freeze the state accounts as hyenas and hawks were still hanging around.
He said, “Even as I speak to you, there are still hyenas and hawks waiting for anything to drop and they will take them out because landmines have been set, and I think we have done perfectly well.
“It is not yet time for the unfreezing to be done. I’m still looking at each of the parastatals, ministries and agencies and if you take a peep at what is there, you will be shocked and you will ask me to close the account until the end of the year.
While the freeze is still on, any government parastatal that is in need should bring it to the appropriate place and it will be treated.”
Alia stated this during his maiden meeting with media practitioners in the state held at New Banquet Hall of Government House, Makurdi, dated 6th August, 2023.
