Nigerian Concord Newspaper
An advocacy group, The Alliance for Truth and Democracy (ATD), Benue State has accused the Governor of the State, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia of many administrative failures, incompetence and financial recklessness.
The group which made this condemnation in a press statement signed by its President, Comrade Jerome Zoho stressed that the governor’s personal net worth since he assumed duties is 450 million dollars.
Calling for an immediate probe, the advocacy group accused the Governor of owing two private jets, owing a bogus ShopRite Franchise in Rwanda and has as well built a University in Sierra Leone with public funds in his possession.
The statement reads below:
We have carefully reviewed the recent clarification issued by the Benue State Government regarding the High-Level Underpass project in Makurdi.
Rather than settling public concerns, the statement raises additional questions about project delivery, cost management, timelines and accountability.
According to the government’s own explanation, officials identified aspects of the project that did not meet approved specifications and directed the contractor to undertake corrective work. While quality control is an important part of infrastructure delivery, the development inevitably raises questions about supervision, execution standards and the overall management of a project that has been under construction for an extended period.
The central concern for many Benue people is not whether defects can be corrected. The concern is why a project presented as a flagship infrastructure intervention has remained incomplete after several years despite the significant public resources committed to it.
What is the total amount committed to the High Level underpass project? How much has been paid to date? What percentage of the project has been completed? What is the revised completion timeline? What mechanisms are in place to ensure that taxpayers receive full value for money?
These questions become even more important when viewed alongside concerns about other infrastructure projects announced since 2023.
For example, the Mbawar Secondary School–Bako–Negher–Tyam–Naa–Adikpo/Calabar Road corridor project, reportedly valued at approximately N73 billion, has attracted public attention because of questions regarding the pace of implementation and visible progress.
Other spendings of the Alia administration that have remained under scrutiny are the N68.3 billion Wurukum-Air Force Base Road reconstruction project, the N29.89 billion Okokolo-Agagbe Road project, the N25.59 billion Awajir-Oju Road project, the N19.72 billion Obarike Ito-Adum East-Oju Road project, the N19.37 billion Igumale-Agila Road project, and the N15.71 billion contract for the rehabilitation of 16 roads within Makurdi Township. These figures alone amount to several hundreds of billions of naira in public expenditure undertaken outside established legal procedures.
Equally disturbing are reports involving substantial expenditures on official vehicles and government comforts at a time many communities across Benue are battling insecurity, displacement and economic hardship.
Investigative reports carried out by civil society watch groups cite the procurement of official vehicles for the Governor’s convoy, political appointees and lawmakers at a cost of N15. 18 billion; the purchase of assorted vehicles and motorcycles for government use at N8.6 billion; the procurement of Toyota Hilux and Prado vehicles at N5.34 billion; the acquisition of nine vehicles for top government officials at N9 billion; and the procurement of a single Toyota Land Cruiser SUV with military security features at over N504 million.
Governor Alia is believed to be running a rogue administration. He is bleeding Benue State. His current net worth in three years is estimated to be in the neighborhood of 450 million dollars.
Despite presiding over the highest revenue in Benue’s history with a massive N1.2 trillion in three years, Governor Alia’s government has nothing to show but ballooning financial recklessness, unpaid obligations, particularly arrears of salaries, pensions and gratuities which he promised to clear but has failed, decaying infrastructure, and grinding poverty across the state.
Instead of translating these resources into roads, schools, healthcare, and real economic empowerment, Governor Alia has wasted the resources on unnecessary expenses including the purchase of two private jets, including a Bombardier Challenger 850 for his comfort and owning many other properties home and abroad and funding a lavish lifestyle and his small group in power headed by his two trusted allies, while the people sink deeper into hardship.
Alia has bought Shoprite franchise in Rwanda with multi million dollars. The governor has also built a private university for himself in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone.
Benue people are entitled to regular updates on the status of such projects, the amounts released, the work completed and the expected delivery dates.
Transparency is not hostility to government. It is a requirement of democratic governance.
We also note that previous public allegations concerning procurement procedures, contract approvals and expenditure decisions have generated significant debate within the state. Whether such allegations are ultimately substantiated or not, they underscore the need for greater transparency and stronger public disclosure mechanisms.
At a time when Benue continues to confront security challenges, economic pressures and development needs, the people are justified in demanding evidence that public resources are being managed efficiently and in accordance with the law.
This is not a call for political confrontation. It is a call for accountability.
We therefore urge the Benue State Government to publish comprehensive information regarding all major infrastructure projects undertaken since 2023, including project costs, procurement records, payment schedules, implementation status and expected completion dates.
Public office carries with it a duty of stewardship. Citizens have a right to know how public funds are spent and what outcomes those expenditures are producing.