Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom yesterday
faulted allegations leveled against him by the
candidate of the opposition People's Democratic
Party (PDP) in last year's governorship election,
Mr. Terhemen Tarzoor, that his administration is
mortgaging the future of the state through
arbitrary borrowings.
Ortom, while reacting to the allegation, described
the allegations as partisan, mischievous, untenable
and unpatriotic.
He said in a statement through his Special Adviser
on Media and ICT, Chief Tahav Agerzua that he
inherited a deficit and empty treasury with huge
salary arrears and other financial burdens which
Tarzoor's political godfather, Gabriel Suswam, who
did not pay the workers, left behind.
He stressed that the morale of the public service
in the state was also at its lowest ebb as a result
of five-month salary arrears that was unpaid by
the Suswam's administration.
The governor explained: "This state of affairs
necessitated the Ortom's administration to obtain a
N10 billion facility to pay May and June salaries, and
ensure the take-off of the government as well as
meet other critical obligations."
COMMENTS