Suswam’s Administration Diverted N48bn LG Funds To Private Accounts – Benue SSG

Benue map

More than N48 billion of local government funds went to private accounts during the 8-year tenure of governor Gabriel Suswam, the Benue state government has alleged.

Secretary to the State Government Barr. Targema Takema said this on Saturday while speaking at a reception organized in his Honour by the Mbaiwoo Development Association in Buruku Local Government area of Benue State.

According to him, although 29,000 local government staff were portrayed by the past administration, only about 14,000 were actually present in the 23 local government area in the state.

Takema said that Suswam’s administration robbed the state between N600-N700 million of local government funds monthly which went to wrong hands in the name of payment of local government staffs.

As a member of the transition committee, the SSG said he was privy of the fact that the indebtedness of the state as established by the committee now stands at N130 billion as against the 90 billion earlier mentioned. He added that arrangements have been concluded to ensure that all those who stole from the pubic treasury are made to return it to the last kobo after the committee briefs the people of the state next week.