Ortom did not procure, approve inscription on wheelbarrows

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has debunked claims and suggestion that he procured wheelbarrows to empower youths of the state, nor did he give approval for the inscription of his name on them.

Pictures of wheelbarrows bearing Ortom’s name were posted on social media On Thursday, suggesting that the governor planned to empower youths of the state with the carts.

But his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Terver Akase, in a swift reaction, exonerate his boss, saying: “The consent of the governor was not sought and he did not give approval for anyone to inscribe his name on the said wheelbarrows.”

Akase explained that the governor was aware that the wheelbarrows in possession of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) were recently donated to the state by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) for victims of crisis in parts of the state and wondered how his boss could have claimed credit for the gesture.

“The Ortom administration has numerous laudable empowerment schemes for youths of Benue, but the donation of wheelbarrows to youths is not one of such schemes,” he insisted.

Akase disclosed that Ortom had directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to issue a query to the Executive Secretary of SEMA to explain why his office took the said action.

Akase added that the governor has also directed the agency to immediately remove the inscription from all the affected wheelbarrows without delay.