The special adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia, bureau of local government and chieftaincy affairs, Denen Aondoakaa, said local government areas (LGAs) in Benue are financially autonomous.

Mr Aondoakaa made the disclosure on Monday in Makurdi while interacting with members of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Benue Council.

The special adviser said that the bureau only coordinates the affairs of the local governments to ensure order.

He emphasised that the LGAs in the state were executing their projects and programmes without interference.

“It must be noted that the finances that accrue to each local government vary, and they utilise the resources based on their financial strength.

“Local government chairmen were given official vehicles before my appointment. But some chairmen gave theirs out to security agencies for patrol to stem insecurity in their domains. Some chairmen even bought motorcycles to add to that,” he said.

He described the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) as a creation of the law with the responsibility to address the humanitarian crisis.

Mr Aondoakaa said that the state government was working tirelessly to improve health service delivery, stating that it had equipped 98 primary healthcare centres (PHC) facilities and some local governments have up to three and some four.

The special adviser said that to prevent drugs at the headquarters of the PHCs from going bad, the bureau had provided a transformer to serve its drug stores.

(NAN)