GICN accused Akura and others of overseeing the blatant misappropriation and diversion of approximately N20 billion in aggregate Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) monies allocated to Benue State's 23 Local Government Councils between June and November 2023.
Dr Denis Akura, Special Adviser to Benue Governor of Hyacinth Alia on the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, on Thursday, denied reports of a missing N20 billion in the Bureau.
A pro-democracy civil society organisation, the Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN), had written a petition to President Bola Tinubu, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Department of State Services, asking them to probe the alleged diversion of N20billion local government areas funds in Benue State.
The petition which was written on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 asked the President and the relevant institutions to immediately arrest the Special Adviser to Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia on Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dennis Akura and others who were allegedly behind the diversion of the public fund.
GICN accused Akura and others of overseeing the blatant misappropriation and diversion of approximately N20 billion in aggregate Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) monies allocated to Benue State's 23 Local Government Councils between June and November 2023.
It claimed that the LG Bureau, led by Governor Alia, had been employing some of its employees and privately owned enterprises to syphon monies intended for local governments in the state.
GICN also stated that it had received numerous complaints and documents from whistleblowers demonstrating that the office of the Special Adviser to Governor Alia on Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs had become a conduit pipe for high-level corrupt practices, massive fraud, and other misdemeanours, prompting its petition to the anti-graft commission.
The group said, “From the records attached as APPENDIX 2A and 2B, the aggregate FAAC allocation received in the State Joint Local Government Account (SJLGA), maintained pursuant to Section 162(6) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) for onward disbursement to the 23 Local Government Councils within the period under review totals N55, 897,592,592.81 only.
"Out of the above sum, only N35,849,988,725.37 was disbursed to the 23 Local Government Councils. This left a balance of N20,051,603,867.44, which remains undisbursed, even though the SJLGA is supposed to be a transit account and not a savings account. It happened that Dr. Dennis Akura under the strict directives of Governor Alia, allegedly diverted the aforesaid N35,849,988,725.37 using staff of the Bureau as well as some companies they have registered mainly for that purpose…” the group stated.
However, Akura, in a statement, explained, that Governor Alia did not direct him to monitor the diversion of over N20 billion federal allocation aggregated to the local government areas.
He said, “For the records, His Excellency Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, a very disciplined leader whose standpoint is prudent management of resources, did not direct me to monitor the diversion of over N20 billion federal allocation aggregated to the local governments.
"As of June 2023, October 2, 2023, he was not at the helm of affairs at the bureau, stating making references to him within that period only exposes the intent behind GICN’s allegations.”
Akura emphasised that it is on record that on the assumption of duty at the bureau, he made it clear to all its staff members that he was directed by his boss to strictly adhere to the workable administrative framework designed to restructure and revamp local government administration in Benue State and return it to its lost glory.
“It is unfortunate,” he said, “that GICN’s puerile mischievous, stark ignorance on the running and management of the bureau or both completely exposes its malfeasance. In Benue State, the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs no longer controls the federal allocation or any funds of the local government areas.”
He asserted that quasi-financial autonomy had been granted to the local governments where their aggregated federal allocation goes directly to each of their accounts.
He added that the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as mandated by Governor Alia, only supervises, monitors and coordinates the affairs of the 23 local government areas through its Directorate of Monitoring and Inspection.
He said, “Moreover, for transparency, the designated administrative framework has also directed all the local government area Caretaker Committee chairmen to, as a must, credit their IGR into the local government area accounts before transferring same into the expenditures account to spend on driving their policies, programmes and projects.”
“And within a short time, the chairmen will soon be given permission to prepare their local purchase orders to ignite massive infrastructural development ranging from overhaul, renovation of the local government quarters cum installation of street lights, and opening of ruler access roads to better the lives of ruler dwellers in Benue State,” he said.
Akuka stated that the management of the bureau does not have the mandate to share palliatives or Christmas relief materials as alleged in a section of the media.