Ortom denies leaving N359bn unpaid salaries in Benue
The immediate-past Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, has challenged his successor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, to disclose the wage bill of the state.
In a statement on Tuesday by his media aide, Terver Akase, the ex-governor also asked Alia to publish the allocations received since his assumption of office.
Ortom’s call came on the heels of the disclosure made by Alia that he inherited N359bn unpaid salary from his predecessor.
Alia, during his thank-you tour of Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, disclosed that he inherited over N359bn salary arrears.
In a reply, Ortom, who refuted the claim, said Alia, by the claim, created the impression that he did not pay salary for five years.
Ortom said how his successor had been attacking his administration showed that he was obsessed with his name.
The former governor recalled that the incumbent administration admitted that he met N187.56bn debt at the time of assumption of office in 2023 and expressed surprise about the new figure the governor quoted.
“We challenge the state government under Governor Alia to publish the allocations it has received since May 2023 and how the funds are being expended.
“We equally challenge the Alia government to tell the people what the wage bill of the state is after the governor claimed that they removed thousands of ‘ghost workers’ from the government’s payroll
“The Alia administration should also publish what the internally generated revenue of the state has been since May 2023.
“Going by Governor Alia’s claim that he inherited N359bn in salary arrears, the unfounded impression created is that the past administration of Governor Ortom did not pay salaries for five years (60 months),” the statement said.
It described the narrative of N359bn salary arrears as not only ridiculously fictitious but a deliberate deception to mislead the people.
“The Alia administration appears to be obsessed with the name Samuel Ortom, as they miss no opportunity to throw darts at the immediate-past governor, branding him with all manner of negative hues.
“It is puzzling that Ortom left office more than a year ago, but his successor and his team can’t get off his back. This is despite the reluctance of the former governor to engage in a media war with his successor,” the statement added.
Ortom, who said he also inherited debts in 2015, added that his administration worked to clear arrears of salary and, at the same time, implemented a 27 per cent increase in teachers’ salaries, the N18,000 minimum wage for teachers, as well as the N30,000 minimum wage for workers.
The former governor said before he left office in 2023, his administration took proactive steps to negotiate and ensure significant debt reduction and relief for the state.
He urged his successor to stop chasing shadows but concentrate on governance and fulfil his campaign promises to the people.
