Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has said that the state government accounts will remain frozen until the completion of ongoing investigation into bank accounts of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The governor said some individuals he described as “hyenas” and “hawks” were desperately waiting for money to drop into the accounts so they could fleece it.
Alia had placed a ban on the state government’s bank accounts during his inugural speech at the IBB Square in Makurdi on May 29.
The governor, who was answering questions from journalists in Makurdi at the weekend, however, disclosed that he was so right to have ordered the closure of the accounts occasioned by the alleged magnitude of fraud in the MDAs.
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He said the accounts would remain frozen, especially as some ‘landmines’ were planted in the MDAs by some persons in the twilight of the immediate past administration before his coming to office.
“Even now, as I speak, there are hyenas, hawks waiting to pick anything that drops in those accounts. These same people are keeping watch on the accounts, and waiting for when and what would drop in the accounts so they can cart away for their personal use.
“It’s not yet time for the unfreezing to be done. I’m still looking critically at the MDAs. The best decision, for now, is to keep the accounts frozen until the government is convinced of safe operations,” he said.
Alia however explained that, “while the freeze is still on, all government ministries, departments and agencies, affected by this development, but which require funds always raise their issues to the appropriate authority, and such requests are treated as demanded by the MDAs.”
The governor nevertheless hinted that the accounts maybe unfreeze at the appropriate time or sooner than expected.
