Five weeks after the establishment of two judicial commissions of inquiry tasked with scrutinizing the tenure of former Governor Samuel Ortom, they are now poised to interrogate him and his associates. Arewa PUNCH investigations have revealed this development.
Governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia inaugurated the commissions on February 26, 2024, to delve into Ortom’s stewardship. The first commission, chaired by retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo from the South-West, focuses on the income and expenditure of the Benue State Government from May 29, 2015, to May 28, 2023. The second, helmed by Justice Appolos Idi (retd) from Gombe, North-East, investigates the sale or lease of government assets, companies, and markets, including those owned by the state and local governments, as well as defunct companies from or before May 28, 2015, to May 28, 2023.
The commissions, comprising 16 members each, are set to commence their proceedings after the Easter break, as confirmed by Fidelis Mnyim, the state’s Commissioner for Justice and Public Order. Mnyim dismissed any notion of obstacles hindering the panels’ operations, assuring that they will begin their sittings next week.
The inquiry mandates include identifying the income, expenditure, and utilization of Benue State’s resources during Ortom’s tenure. Specifically, the commissions will scrutinize bank transactions, loans acquired and disbursed, special interventions like Bailout Funds and Paris Club Refunds, and assess the propriety of these financial activities.
Former Governor Ortom, via his media aide Terver Akase, has expressed readiness to cooperate with the panels and encouraged his aides to do the same. With these developments, the commissions are poised to shed light on the fiscal management and transactions during Ortom’s administration, marking a significant step in accountability and governance in Benue State.
