By Amos Aar
THE Chairman, Benue State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Vincent Nyinongu, has called on the Benue State Planning Commission (BSPC) to be briefing journalists on quarterly basis about budget implementation in the state.
Nyinongu made the call Thursday when he participated as a special guest at the 2022 public consultation town hall meeting/citizens’ engagement for the preparation of 2023 budget held in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
He said the quarterly briefing of journalists will enable them to know how funds earmarked for projects are utilised so that they will inform the public accordingly. He equally tasked pen pushers to follow up and monitor capital expenditure on projects after annual briefings in order to hold the government and contractors accountable.
The NUJ chairman also urged the Benue State government to avoid giving contracts to relations and associates who will only take money and abandon the projects and should always ensure that contracts awarded are executed.
He further advised that the local government system should be allowed active participation and people in rural communities be given priority to point out their needs to be included in the budget for execution, saying the initiative will prevent further brain drain to towns and cities.
Speaking on behalf of the 23 local government councils’ chairmen in Benue State, the chairman, Ushongo local government council, Hon. Lady Veronica Gajir, corroborated Nyinongu, appealing that local government chairmen should not be made agents to be watching over babies and structures at the local government but there should be something happening there in terms of projects so that rural dwellers will feel the impact of government.
Lady Gajir lamented that roads in rural communities are so deplorable that it has become difficult for people to move from one local government to another. She added that “hospitals are in shambles” and there is no electricity in rural communities.
Responding, the BSPC Director-General, Mr Sam Onum, who commended the NUJ chairman for making important recommendations, assured that all the issues he raised will be put into consideration.
Some other dignitaries who graced the town hall meeting were the principal special assistant to Governor Ortom on Diaspora, Rev. Peters Ichull, chairmen of Gwer-West and Logo local government areas, Hon. Andrew Ayande and Hon. (Mrs) Salome Shiden Tor, respectively, LG Directors-General, Services and Administration (DGSAs), People With Disability (PWD) and the media, among others.
