By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
Tiv Youth Council Worldwide (TYC) has challenged Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom by promising to pay in at least two national television for live telecast of his achievements if any.
This, the organization said has become necessary in order to put an end to the Governor’s endless lies and unceasing propaganda in self deceit to the outside world that he has developed the state and will leave it better than he met it.
The challenge is coming days after the governor absolved himself of owing salaries and pensions amongst other things when he appeared on Arise Television programme.
But the TYC in a statement signed by its President, Hon Mike Msuaan restated that besides Benue being needlessly starved of infrastructural development under Governor Ortom, there has been tremendous and untold hardship on the people.
“For a Governor who has less than two years to leave, what legacies will Ortom be remembered for? Other governors are showcasing their achievements in government. Surprisingly, Governor Ortom appeared on Arise television to simply blab and accept that his government is owing workers and pensioners several months of unpaid salaries and pensions. The governors public acceptance of owing salaries has vindicated us when we accuse him of insensitivity and deliberate refusal to cater for the welfare of workers and pensioners.
“Governor Ortom, uses a law of propaganda often attributed to Nazi Joseph Goebbels which states that “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”, he was bold to delude viewers on Arise TV that he has implemented the minimum wage for workers in the state. This is a blatant lie, that should not emanate from a public office holder who is referred to as a chief executive of a state.
“Governor Ortom has caused tremendous and untold hardship to Benue people. After declaring legitimate workers ghosts and sacking them Ortom set up committees to ascertain the wage bill of the state. It is compelling to ask the governor, what is the wage bill of Benue State?”
“On the accusation of corruption Ortom leveled against the government of president Buhari, TYC Worldwide stated that although the group is not holding brief for the president,but at the moment, the ICPC is persecuting the governors, Top aides principal private secretary Mr Steven Amase and Adviser on Works Hon. Torkuma Manger. He has failed to account for the over 500 billion accrued to the state as demanded by the Benue stakeholders in a press conference in Abuja. The 8 billion, Governor Ortom claimed he recovered from monies misappropriated by his predecessor seem to have been re-looted.
“At the inception of his administration in 2015, Ortom promised to build industries and revive the moribund ones. Almost seven years after, he has failed to revive even one, let alone build an industry in the state. This is after wasting tax payers monies on needles foreign trips in the name of attracting foreign investors to the state.
“We want to raise alarm and call on the Benue stakeholders to rise up and stop Governor Ortom from destroying the state bequeathed to us by our heroes past. If this is not done, by 2023, the government of Ortom must have wasted 8 years issuing careless press releases and won a gold medal for signing fruitless MOU’S without any developmental projects to show in addition to a notorious refusal to pay workers and pensioners”
Nothing is moving in the state, the roads are bad; the Civil service is fast crumbling under the watchful eyes of Ortom. It is obvious that when God told him he will be Governor as he claims, he never cared to ask God for wisdom to lead the people of Benue.
Over time, Nigerians and Benue people accuse Governor Ortom of screaming and attacking President Buhari towards the end of every month to prevent an interrogation on his refusal to pay workers and pensioners their due. Benue people have to wait for president Buhari to send Bailouts for salaries to be paid.
In recent times, in addition to his failure to develop the state, the governor has resorted to verbally demeaning the people of Benue. He recently referred to the IDPs as petty thieves stealing from his farm, in a widely circulated video on social media, the governor referred to the Benue of the state and cheap drunkards who do nothing. The disrespectful and uncouth manner he refers to Mr President is alien to the values of a Benue person. These are subtle ways of painting the Benue people as being irresponsible.
“To finally destroy the state, he has listed legacy projects and industries built by previous Governments in the state for sale in a suspicious manner. Like we have asked in the past, what will governor Ortom be remembered for when he leaves office in 2023? “, the group asked.
