Benue Assembly asks Alia to unfreeze state accounts

Benue State House of Assembly has asked Governor Hyacinth Alia to unfreeze the state’s accounts frozen by him during his inauguration.

The Assembly on Wednesday during the plenary presided by the Speaker, Chief Aondona Dajoh passed the motion.

The motion was moved by member representing Kwande West State Constituency, Pharm.Thomas Dugeri, and seconded by the member representing Konshisha State Constituency, Rt. Honorable Cephas Dyako.

Debating on the motion, the House frowned at the continuous freezing of the accounts which has rendered ministries, and departments hopeless, paralyzed, and unable to render effective services to the people of the state.

The House is particularly worried that it is over nine months into the life of the administration.

It said whatever transactions that were hanging on the government accounts had become ineffective, adding that all cheque’s life span is six months.

In reaction to the motion, the member representing Kyan constituency, Hon. Shimawua Emmanuel moved a counter motion which was seconded by Hon Berger Alfred, member representing Makurdi North, calling on the House not to run to a hasty conclusion on why the state governor has allowed the accounts to be frozen.

However, the counter motion failed through voice votes.

The House resolved that the Governor should, in the interest of the state, unfreeze the state accounts for the smooth running of the MDAs.