The Benue Government has announced that it generates about ₦1.2 billion monthly aside from the revenue generated from the Pay As You Earn (PAYE).
Tersoo Kula, the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Hyacinth Alia, disclosed this in Makurdi on Thursday while fielding questions from newsmen. He said that Alia’s administration had continued to prudently apply the generated revenue for projects in the state.
“The sum of ₦1.2 billion is generated every month by the Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) aside from PAYE," he said.
He said that the State was servicing several loans collected by the last administration, as the debts were being deducted at source even before the federal allocation gets to the State. Kula said that the last administration took so many loans which are being deducted by the banks at source.
“So, what the government gets at the end of the month is what is added to the monthly generated revenue to do projects you see all over,” he added.
Kula said that the State Government has awarded a contract to Bauhouse Global Limited, for the construction of an underpass road at the High Level roundabout in Makurdi, at the cost of ₦6 billion.
He said the contract award followed due processes, adding that the project was also captured in the 2024 budget. He disclosed that the 2024 budget allocated only ₦5.2 billion to the office of the governor and not ₦44 billion as reported by some media organisations.
Kula said that there was a great distinction between the office of the governor, and Government House administration as the latter has 10 agencies under it to cater for. He said agencies such as the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Pension Board, Pilgrimage Welfare Board (Muslims/Christians), Benue State Action Committee on Aids, etc.
On the influx of a large number of cattle in the State, he said the Governor has made it very clear that the State Anti-Open Grazing law was still in force. He said those caught taking their livestock to graze openly in the State would be apprehended and prosecuted.