The Benue government has announced that it generates about N1.2 billion monthly, aside from the pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) revenue.

The governor’s spokesman, Tersoo Kula, disclosed this in Makurdi on Thursday while fielding questions from journalists.

He said Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration had continued to prudently apply the generated revenue for projects in Benue.

“The sum of N1.2 billion is generated every month by the Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) aside from PAYE,“ he said.

He said Benue was servicing several loans collected by the last administration, as the debts were being deducted at source even before the federal allocation gets to Benue.

Mr Kula said the last administration took many loans the banks deducted at source.

“So, what the government gets at the end of the month is what is added to the monthly generated revenue to do projects you see all over,” he said.

Mr Kula said his government awarded a contract to Bauhouse Global Limited for the construction of an underpass road at the high-level roundabout in Makurdi at the cost of N6 billion.

He said the contract award followed due processes, adding that the project was also captured in the 2024 budget.

Mr Kula disclosed that the 2024 budget allocated only N5.2 billion to the governor’s office.

Mr Kula said there was a great distinction between the governor’s office and the Government House administration as the latter has 10 agencies to cater to.

He said agencies such as the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Pension Board, Pilgrimage Welfare Board (Muslims/Christians), Benue State Action Committee on Aids, etc.

(NAN)