Benue House of Assembly has approved the suspension of all 23 local government (LG) chairmen in the state for financial misappropriation.

The decision to suspend the LG chairmen was taken on Wednesday during the plenary, following a letter from Governor Hyacinth Alia. The letter, dated June 14, 2023, requested the house to investigate the incomes and expenditures of all the chairmen.

In the letter, Mr Alia informed the house that he had received a report on the incomes and expenditures of the chairmen from February to April 2023, as submitted by themselves, and wished the house to investigate it for necessary recommendations.

The speaker of the house, Hyacinth Dajoh, therefore, set up an ad hoc committee on June 20, 2023, comprising Peter Ipusu (Katsina-Ala West/APC) as the chairman, Manger Manger (Tarka/APC) and Cyril Ikong (Oju II/APC) as members to investigate the matter.

The committee, directed to investigate and report back to the house within the shortest possible time, expressed worries over the outright disregard of procedure and the chairmen’s crass mismanagement of local government funds during the period under review.

The committee informed the house that there was a need for a more detailed investigation of the operations of the local government beyond the period under review to cover from June 2015 to May 2023.

The committee recommended the immediate suspension of the chairmen and the legislative councils for conniving with the executive councils to mismanage public funds in their trust.

After contributions from members in favour of the report, the house unanimously agreed that the chairmen be suspended to enable it to do the investigation without interference.

Ruling, the speaker directed the chairmen to hand over the affairs of their local government councils and all government properties in their possession, including official vehicles, to the Directors-General, Services, and Administration (DGSAs) with immediate effect and proceed on suspension, pending the completion of the investigation into their account books and other related matters.

The speaker further directed that the governor proceed and set up caretaker committees in line with the Benue Local Government law.

He also requested the Commissioner of Police to ensure a seamless takeover at the various local government council headquarters without any friction.

(NAN)