By Amos Aar
GOVERNOR Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has redeployed Dr. Dennis Akura, his Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to a new role as Special Adviser on Finance, Economic Strategy, Planning, and Development.
The reassignment takes effect immediately. A statement on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, confirmed the development.
The governor also appointed Denen Aondoakaa to replace Akura as head of the bureau.
Aondoakaa, who holds a BSc in Economics and an MBA in Finance, brings significant experience to the position, according to the governor.
Aondoakaa’s previous roles include Head of Revenue Optimisation at the GED Makurdi Regional Office, Technical Advisor at the Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Branch Operations Manager at Fidelity Bank, and most recently, Personal Special Assistant to the Governor and Head of the Delivery Unit.
Recall that in August 2024, rumors circulated on social media claiming that Governor Alia had dismissed Dr. Akura over allegations of fraud and replaced him with Aondoakaa. However, the governor reinstated Akura within 24 hours, dismissing the allegations as a baseless rumour.
