Suswam, Tsegba in 2 billion Naira SME Grant Face Off

The recent Small and Medium Scale Enterprises grant has set the former Speaker Protempore,  Rt. Hon. Terngu Tsegba on a war path with the Benue State governor, Dr Gabriel Suswam.
According to information from the office of the Benue Finance Commissioner,  the grant which was initiated by the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN), to the tune of Two Billion Naira, was supposed to be shared amongst  Micro finance Banks under the SME support scheme.
The grant which was intended to be shared between two micro finance Banks namely Jamis MFB and Excellence MFB which Hon. Tsegba has majority shares. The state government under the agreement,  was supposed to provide collateral for the loan meant to be disbursed to farmers and Small business owners.
After reaching all the requirements for the loan as stipulated by the CBN, the various banks advertised these loans and have received various sums as processing fee for the loan from intending borrowers.
This process which has already run into four months, it was gathered that is delayed because although the money has been disbursed from the CBN,  the state governor and his ally Mr. OmOmadachi Oklobia have demanded cuts from the sum.
Dr. Suswam is said to have taken as according to him,  on behalf of the government One Billion Naira as it's share while Mr. Oklobia is believed to have carted away 100 million which he claims is transaction fee and percentage acrueable to the ministry for service rendered, leaving the balance of 900,000.00 to be shared by the two MFBs.
This scenario is the reason for the current feud between Tsegba and his erstwhile friend, Suswam whom Tsegba has threatened to drag to the Economic Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ),  after May 29 if the whole sum is not released to the various financial institutions as promised.

FIGHTING CORRUPTION :THE NEED TO SANITISE BENUE STATE CIVIL SERVICE (Part 1)

As the clock ticks towards may 29th 2015,which will witness another transition from civilian regime ,it will be more meaningful to put it that this transition is very significant in the lives of Nigerian's and Benue State indigenes in particular.Significant in the sense that it is not going to be business as usual again,it is not a transition from same hands as it has been seen in the past,it is a transition from an old government to a new government,from an old president to a new president,from an old governor for Benue state to a new Governor,from a party that ruled for sixteen years (PDP) to a new party with new ideologies the (APC).
Facts abound that the PDP lead Government was characterised by massive irregularities,inflicting pain and anguish on the people especially in the last four years under the leadership of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Nigeria as a nation have witness significant decay in all sectors which lead to the collapse of the economy.
Taking Benue state as our focal point,the Government under the leadership of Governor Gabriel Suswam performed abysmally ,turning civil servants into beggers and rediculing them with its policy of non payment of civil servant's salaries,pensioners monthly pay and gratuity.
Schools from primary level to tertiary institutions have been in comatose,development has been arrested owing to the activities of a few egocentric self styled politicians who collaborate with top civil servants.
With the stage set for a new dawn come may 29th,Nigerian's from all works of life are calling for an inquest in the dealing of the outgoing PDP administration at all levels,General Mohammadu Buhari fondly called "mai gaskia" and in Benue state Dr.Samuel Ortom "the workman" are urged by the electorates to probe the preceding administration.
In Benue state the Governor elect Dr.Samuel Ortom have promised to make sure corrupt officials are held responsible for their crimes,it is on this premise that Concerned Benue Citizens open a little on some corrupt civil servant's who collaborated with the excutive to defraud the state .
This piece is a reminder to the incoming Governor Dr.Samuel Ortom that corruption has eaten deep in the fabric of the state civil service and for sanity , the fight to liberate Benue state from its present financial logjam and economic Sabotage should not spare the following people;
*Mrs Ijir (permanent secretary ministry of Finance)
*Mr Asen Sambe (permanent secretary Bureau of local Government and Chieftaincy affairs
*Mr Peter Torjun (permanent Secretary)
*Mr Isaiah Ipevnor (Accountant Bureau for local government and Chieftaincy affairs)
*Mrs Beatrice Tsavbu (DAF local government pensions board).
The names overleaf are names of top civil servants who are under the pay role of Government as career civil servants but participate actively in politics and dirty businesses,alas Benue state civil service rules warn civil servants not to involve themselves into fraudulent financial escapades and partisan politics.
Concerned Benue Citizens wish to state categorically that the above mentioned are broad day politicians and partakes in swindling the state of several millions.
For instance Mrs Ijir from logo gave money for procurement of arms which were used during the last elections to unleash mayhem on innocent civilians ,leaving four APC agents dead and scores injured,she is a conduit pipe to which monies are withdrawn from Government coffers through a middle man one EGE to Joseph Tsavsar(Joe K) who finally stacka it in the Governors private accounts.
Detail of transactions will come in part 2 of this write up.
Mr Asen Sambe and Mr Isaiah Ipevnor Both are indigenes of Kwande local Government area ,all of them are signatories to the account's of Bureau for local Government and chieftaincy affairs,Concerned Benue Citizens have authoritatively gathered that the duo as civil servants have become billionaires overnight,Buying houses in choice areas ,building estates and hotels across Nigeria,they are active politicians and sponsored militia activities in  Kwande local Government to disrupt elections in the just concluded general elections,as core civil servants ,they have failed in their administrative role to advice the excutive on the right decision to take in regard to the welfare of primary school teachers,local government workers, pensioners and chieftaincy matters (Abomtse's case in view).
In collaboration with Solomon wombo who is adjudged the most corrupt public officer in Suswam's administration ,they have thrown the third tier of government into redundance.
Their insatiable greed to accumulate wealth is so disgusting,they are among the financials of the defeated PDP candidates court process.
  Mr Peter Torjun, a permanent secretary in the Benue state civil service,this man need to be utterly dismissed from service because he was caught on camera by electorates running with electoral materials from the Displaced camp where the moon people of Kwande local government voted.
   Mrs Beatrice Tsavbu's activities at the local Government Pensions Board in the early 2014 when she held sway in an acting capacity when Mr Andy uwouku ,then permanent secretary resigned to pursue his political ambition needs serious scrutiny,she liased with the  chairman,civil service commission Richard Gbande who was also the Board chairman overseeing pension affairs to cart away money in droves which lead to the present day accumulated pension pay .
Details of all these transactions will be brought with pictorials and proofs in the next piece.
      It is worthy to note some of these personalities whose acts have brought so much wroth in the Benue state civil service.
       As we witness a revolution into a new dawn,and the incoming administrations stand to unravel mysterious disappearance of funds, Concerned Benue Citizens have advise the APC Government anchored by chief Samuel Ortom to Compel the State Head of service who has turned a deaf ear to all these ills to set a committee of inquiry to investigate this corrupt civil servants and deal with them accordingly as enshrined in civil service rules.
May God bless Benue state.

PDP's case in the tribunal is an assault on Benue electorate - Agbese

Philip Agbese

Civil Rights Activist Comrade Philip Agbese has described the recent case instituted against the All Progressives Congress ( APC ), Governorship candidate Chief Samuel Ortom by his defeated Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ),   opponent,  Hon. Terhemen Tarzoor as an assault on Benue electorates.
Comrade Philip Agbese who made this declaration in a text titled;  A TIME TO HEAL, lambasted the PDP for going to court against Chief Samuel Ortom after publicly accepting defeat and allowing same to settle in the minds of the people.
He likened the scenario to the Pharaoh of Egypt who suddenly ordered his armies to return the Children of Israel after he had allowed them to go. "The outcome was bad for Pharaoh and whoever has been sent on this journey should expect to perish at the red sea which Benue can not afford at the moment."
"it is a good example of Pharaoh suddenly changing his mind while the Children of God had already crossed the red sea and we therefore warn that Benue should be allowed a steady democratic journey at least for the first time in continuance of the national resolution of the PDP headquarters that has signified interest in becoming the major partner of the civil society in Nigeria.
Agbese advised the PDP to desist from distracting the new regime through court cases and concentrate on its new position as an opposition party as the Benue electorates had clearly rejected them as signified in the results at the polls.
"We respect the fact that the PDP got a sizeable number at the polls which shows that a certain population of Benue people still want them in power but we should be clear to ourselves that the overall result is a clear case of rejection and bold statement that whatever good thing in the kitty can wait till another day". He said.
According to him the PDP is afraid of its new role in both Benue state in particular and Nigeria in general. He further added that the recent appearance of the PDP and its leaders practically demonstrated arrogance during the last campaign season across the country at the election petition tribunal as a plot to derail those who have secured the mandate of the people and thus called on all and sundry to condemn the instituted court case in order to give governance a chance.

Suswam to Install Brother as Tor Sankera May 4

Despite the unconstitutional manner in which the bill for the creation of first class chiefs was signed into to law and its attendant protests, the Benue state governor, Rt. Hon. Gabriel Suswam has finalised plans to install his elder brother, Chief Terkura Suswam Tingir as first class Chief on the 4th of May.

Five other political loyalists of the outgoing governor are also slated to benefit from the last minute gesture which has been widely condemned.

It was not clear as at the time of going to press but there are strong feelers that some concerned groups may be heading to court to challenge the action and stifle the governor's action.

According to our information pieced together, the plan has also been endorsed by the Chairman of the Benue Traditional Council, Orchivirigh Alfred Akawe Torkula,  the Tor Tiv IV.

Sources in the outgoing government confirmed that Suswam is bent on installing the first class chiefs to ensure that his elder brother, Dr. Terkura Suswam is made the Tor Sankera, one of the proposed traditional chiefs.

The appointment which has received general public condemnation is said to be a means of settling his brother and some of his loyalists whom he fears will be out of power if the next government comes in.

This decision is even as the in-coming governor,  Dr. Samuel Ortom had earlier last week warned against the installation of the proposed first class chiefs as well as the ongoing hurried employment of civil servants, citing poor economic status of the state.

It could be recalled that the proposal for the creation of first class chiefdoms had earlier drawn criticism from many quarters including his loyalists amongst whom were Prof. Iorwuese Hagher,  the Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) governorship Campaign organisation and Prof. Mvendaga Jibo who wrote protest letters to the the Benue State House of Assembly,  advising against the creation.

Suswam plans last minute recruitment

With less than five weeks to the end of his tenure, the outgoing governor of Benue s

tate, Dr Gabriel Suswam has embarked on massive recruitment of over 6000 applicants for the state civil service.

This is even as the state governmnet owes public servants salaries of over 6 months and pensions that have accrued to over 11 months.

But the governor-elect, Dr Samuel Ortom has warned the outgoing administration not recruit any new applicant into the state civil service that is already compiling handover notes.

Dr Suswam is also believed to have connived with the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Omadachi Oklobia and the Chairman Benue Internal Revenue Service ( BIRS ), Mr. Gabriel Asen to fast forward the salaries of the already BIRS staff numbering about 2000, who have since been absorbed into the state service without pay to effect from February 2015.

This tactic by the governor is to plant a shaky start for the incoming administration.

The plan includes to absorb all the SURE - P staff who are over 3000 and also giving the Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC), management an order to recruit over 700 staff under the guise of replacements which has already begun in various ministries.

The new staff who will resume duties by May, are said to have their appointments back dated several months to cover for some financial loop holes in the government where some appropriated funds cannot be accounted for, making it necessary for a sub head to be created for these monies to be expended.

This arrangement is not restricted to the state civil service alone as the Local Government Service Commission ( LGSC), has also gotten the mandate to employ an undisclosed number of staff.

It will be recalled that since the inception of Governor Suswam's administration in 2007, there was an  embargo placed on employment  and any other recruitments, this even became stringent as there emerged a paucity of funds which led to months on non-payment of salaries.

Meanwhile, the governor-elect, Dr Samuel Ortom while addressing party leaders at a stakeholders meeting in Makurdi today at the Royal Choice Inn warned that any new recruitment carried out but the outgoing government after he was declared winner in the April 11 governorship polls will be reversed.

He reasoned that giving fresh appointments in the absence of unpaid salaries would amount to high insensitivity and will not be condoned.

Benue Workers to jettison Tuesday strike by Benue NLC

• Call for Anchaver's resignation

Sequel to the announcement of an intended strike action planned by the Benue State Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress ( NLC ), Benue workers under the aegis of Benue Aggrieved Workers have distanced themselves from the strike.

The workers who have labelled the strike as self serving,  in a press release signed by their leader Bar. Uhundu Emmanuel and made available to our reporter,  said the strike organised by Comr. Simon Anchaver was illegal and called on all Benue workers to boycott the strike action.

According to Bar. Uhundu, Anchaver had lost all constitutional and moral rights to call a strike or even lead the NLC having resigned and left for partisan politics and according to the constitution of the union had since ceased being even a member of the union. 

"I wonder under what authority an Anchaver will summon labour in the state? He ceased being a member of the union the day he joined partisan politics to contest for governor. How then does a politician tell us what to dor? This is just another ploy hatched by him and his chief strategist the oldest union secretary in the state, Shimaor Joseph to get their last 30 pieces of silver before this administration bows out." He averred. 

The aggrieved workers further stated that their major grouse with the strike action was the fact that "like all other industrial actions embarked upon during Anchaver's tenure, this was another scheme to get more money from the state government using the workers as bargai

EFCC dust up files on Wombo

News sources from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ),  have

Prince Solomon Wombo
Under Investigation by EFCC

informed that the Commission has dusted files in readiness to reopen the investigation into allegations of financial misappropriation levelled against the Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Solomon Wombo.
According to our source, with the coming of the new administration the commission is determined to pursue all abandoned cases before its take off to give it a new slate and focus of pursuit. This new drive is aimed at prosecuting all cases which investigations had been stalled for one reason or another.
 Prince Solomon Wombo who was petitioned by a certain House of Representatives member from the state in 2013 for sleaze in the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, is said to be on the list of cases to be reawakened .
This reopening is even as through the years Wombo, through his boss who had strong ties in the commission has suppressed the investigation into matter,  will have to finally face the wrath of the law.
Already our source said the commission has already detailed personnel to Makurdi who will effect his arrest for questioning and assistance into the matter. He said this arrest was just a formal investigation which is intended to clear the issues surrounding misappropriation in which he is entangled.
He further added that the Commission has also received other petitions in which the special adviser was mentioned alongside other members of the Suswam cabinet including the finance commissioner, Mr. Omadachi Oklobia and the Chairman of the Benue Internal Revenue Service ( BIRS ), Mr. Gabriel Asen.