The handover ceremony between outgoing Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom and the governor-elect, Revd. Hyacinth Iormem Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC), took place at Government House Makurdi. With his tenure coming to an end, Governor Ortom officially handed over the reins of leadership.
During his speech, Governor Ortom revealed that the state had generated a total income of N734.9 billion over his eight years in office. However, the expenditure and other financial obligations amounted to N735.6 billion, resulting in a significant debt burden for the state.
Governor Ortom acknowledged the high level of indebtedness and disclosed that the outgoing administration was leaving behind a debt of N187.5 billion. This debt encompassed salary arrears, loans, and contractual obligations. Despite this, the administration had actively engaged in negotiations to reduce and relieve the debt burden. The governor expressed optimism that, with ongoing debt swap negotiations and expected inflows, the state’s debt profile would be reduced to N45.2 billion.
The handover note provided to the incoming governor contained comprehensive information about the structure and activities of the Ortom administration over the past eight years. It also included sectoral briefs from various agencies, ministries, and departments.
Governor Ortom emphasized that the handover note consisted of three volumes. Volume one covered the handover of all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). Volume two contained the policy document of his administration, known as the Benue Development Plan. The comprehensive briefs submitted by ministries and agencies were included in part B, while part three highlighted the state’s debt profile and pension obligations.
Governor Ortom shared the financial figures, stating that revenue from various sources, such as the federation account, Value Added Tax, grants, and loans, totaled N734.9 billion as of the end of April. However, expenditure amounted to N735.6 billion during the same period.
Despite the challenging debt situation, Governor Ortom highlighted the administration’s efforts to reduce the state’s debt through negotiations and debt swap arrangements with the federal government.
In his closing remarks, Governor Ortom advised the incoming governor to utilize forthcoming funds, including the backlog of stamp duty and the N61 billion loan facility approved by the federal government through the Central Bank of Nigeria. These financial resources would provide a smooth takeoff for the incoming administration.