- Says Delayed Disbursement Due To Accurate Records, Transparency
By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State Government has refuted claims circulating on social media that the N1.275 billion Yelwata Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) intervention fund had been embezzled, explaining that the delay in disbursement was due to efforts to ensure accurate records, accountability, and inclusion of all affected persons.
Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hon. Aondowase Kunde, made the clarification on Thursday when the Implementation Committee on the Yelwata IDP Intervention visited the community to commence field inspection and interaction with residents.
He recalled that following the June 14, 2025 attack on Yelwata in Guma LGA, several donors came to the state’s aid. The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, under her Renewed Hope Initiative, donated N1 billion to Benue State. Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa added N150 million, the United Bank for Africa (UBA) contributed N100 million, while the Department of State Services (DSS) supported with N25 million, bringing the total donation to N1.275 billion.
Kunde said Governor Hyacinth Alia immediately constituted an implementation committee chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Deaconess Dr. Deborah Aber, Esq., with members drawn from relevant ministries and agencies, to ensure that the intervention is executed in a transparent and accountable manner.
He explained that the delay in implementation was not a sign of mismanagement, but a deliberate effort to gather credible data of all victims and to properly vet the work plans of ministries and departments that would handle different aspects of the intervention.
“The delay means being detailed. We needed to take proper records of those affected, verify the work plans of the MDAs, and ensure inclusivity. His Excellency wants everyone carried along. This intervention is not a secret affair — it will be implemented in the open, with every kobo accounted for”, the commissioner said.
He added that Governor Alia’s administration was result-oriented and committed to transparency, directing that all activities under the Yelwata IDP Intervention be done in the public eye.
“The governor directed that whatever we are procuring must be made known to the world. The people of Yelwata will see the work as it progresses. We are doing everything on camera for all to see”, Kunde said.
The commissioner further explained that 50 percent of the total fund will go directly to Yelwata IDPs while the remaining 50 percent will be extended to other displaced persons across the state. According to him, the intervention has been structured into short-term, mid-term, and long-term phases.
The short-term projects, to be completed within three months, include food and nutrition support, water supply, cash transfers, and livelihood restoration. The mid-term projects will cover education, agriculture, and peacebuilding, while the long-term phase will focus on housing, resettlement, and sustainability programmes.
He said the government has partnered with Novus Microfinance Bank to handle the cash transfer component, and beneficiaries are being profiled for ATM cards through which they will access funds. He also disclosed that the state government will work with the Guma Local Government Council to secure land for new shelter construction and rehabilitation of destroyed homes.
Kunde outlined the roles of various ministries and agencies in the implementation process, noting that the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) will handle nutrition and resettlement, the Ministry of Water Resources will oversee water supply, the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry will manage shelter and housing, while other sectors such as health, women affairs, peacebuilding, and security will be supervised by their respective MDAs. He emphasized that each sector has clearly defined responsibilities to ensure coordination and accountability.
Kunde reiterated that the state government remains fully committed to transparency, accountability, and the welfare of displaced persons. He said all disbursements, procurements, and implementation steps will be made public, with regular updates through the media. “Governor Alia has made it clear that this intervention is about restoring dignity and rebuilding lives, not politics. Every naira will be used where it belongs,” he assured.
The Secretary to the State Government, Deaconess Aber, represented by Barrister Akor Abiem, appealed to Yelwata residents to support the government’s efforts and disregard false social media allegations. He said spreading misinformation about funds that have not even been disbursed undermines the trust that the government is trying to build.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Dr. James Iorpuu, represented by Dr. Donald Komgbenda, the head of administration at BSEMA, urged the residents to identify their priority needs for effective intervention planning.
On his part, the Deputy Chairman of Guma Local Government, Hon. Tersoo Veem, who represented the council chairman, Hon. Maurice Orwough, conveyed the council’s gratitude to the First Lady, Governor Alia, and all other donors for their support to victims of the Yelwata tragedy.
The priest in charge of St Joseph’s Yelwata, Rev. Fr. Jonathan Ukuma, commended the governor for sustaining his administration’s humanitarian response to displaced communities, while the Director of Rural Water Supply, Mrs. Linda Igbudu, said the ministry had received reports of a water source within Yelwata and would verify it before drilling new boreholes.
In separate remarks, Legislative leader of Guma Local Government Council, Hon. Begi Godwin, and the Kindred Head of Ucha, Zaki John Kpan, urged to the government not to be discouraged by what they described as “false narratives” propagated by individuals abroad who claim the intervention fund had been diverted.
“Some of our people sit abroad and write false allegations against the Benue State government about this intervention money without caring about us or even visiting to see the reality on ground,” Begi said.
