By The Benue State Government has reacted to the viral picture of wheelbarrows bearing the name of the Governor, Samual Ortom as the distributor suggesting that he used it to empower youth in the State. BlackBox Nigeria gathered that the carts were never purchased by the Government and it was not even part of its numerous empowerment programme for the youth.
According to the press statement signed by Terver Akase, Chief Press Secretary, the idea of the inscription of Governor Ortom on the wheelbarrow was never given to the State, hence, there was no approval of such.
The statement read in part, “The attention of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has been drawn to pictures of wheelbarrows bearing his name and posted on social media suggesting that he plans to empower youths of the state with the carts. We wish to make it clear that the consent of the Governor was not sought and he did not give approval for anyone to inscribe his name on the said wheelbarrows.”
“Governor Ortom is aware that the wheelbarrows in possession of the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA were recently donated to the state by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NCFRMI, for victims of crisis in parts of the state so he couldn’t have claimed credit for the gesture.
Mr Akase also stressed that the State Government has well recognised schemes for the youth which the distribution of wheelbarrows is not among. He further revealed that the Ortom has since ordered the Secretary to State Government to issue query to the errant Secretary of SEMA for carrying out such act without approval.
“The Ortom administration has numerous laudable empowerment schemes for youths of Benue but the donation of wheelbarrows to the youths is not one of such schemes.
He added, “Consequently, the Governor has directed Secretary to the State Government to issue a query to the Executive Secretary of SEMA to explain why the said action was taken by his office.
“Governor Ortom has also directed the agency to immediately remove the inscription from all the affected wheelbarrows.”
