Be prudent with handling finances, Ortom charges elected LG chairs

Be prudent with handling finances, Ortom charges elected LG chairs

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has charged elected council chairmen in the state to be prudent in handling the finances of their respective councils.

The Governor, who gave the charge while swearing in the council bosses at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) Square, in Makurdi, on Monday, stated that it was only by doing so that they would be able to execute projects.

“As all of you may be aware, we are still suffering from the pains of recession, so you should work hard to improve on the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile of your Local Government Councils.”

Governor Ortom, who addressed the large gathering, urged the chairmen to shun the temptation to operate as Sole Administrators and carry along their  Deputies and Councilors as well as other stakeholders who would help them in the delivery of services in health care, education, agriculture and other areas of need to the local populace.

He warned that the era of sharing Government money with cronies or so-called elders is over stressing that Government money is only for development purposes to positively touch the lives of the majority of the people.

“Let me restate my pledge that the State Government under my watch will not tamper with any money that accrues to the Local Government Councils under any guise.”

The Governor who posited that the Anti-grazing Bill recently signed into law was already generating some heat advised the council chairmen to be alert and that no one goes against the law in their respective domains.

“As Chief Security Officers of your respective Local Government Councils, you have to be alert to ensure that no individual or group of persons under your Council take the Laws of the land into their own hands. And as you might have already known, there cannot be progress or development without peace. So, peace building should be your cardinal objective at all times.”