Defenders of Democracy Calls for Transparency in Funding of Alia Care Programme in Benue

May 2024 · 2 minute read


In a bid to promote democracy and the rule of law, the Defenders of Democracy (DoD) has urged the Governor of Benue State, Rev Hyacinth Alia, to address the residents of Benue State and provide clarity on the source of funds for the “Alia Care” programme.

Comrade Amos Uchiv, the President of the group, released a press statement on Saturday, also demanding that Governor Alia disclose the amount received in federal allocations and the revenue generated by the state since June 2023.

On Friday, Governor Alia’s Commissioner for Cooperatives, Urban and Rural Development, Joy Luga, announced the training of officials from associations and cooperatives in the state who applied for the “Alia Care” Programme.

The training sessions will take place in the various federal constituencies of the state.

The group has accused the Governor of renaming the Federal Government’s Conditional Cash Transfer programme as “Alia Care,” thereby creating the impression that he is the sole provider of financial assistance to rural communities.

The group stated, “If the money is not from the supplementary budget recently sent to the Benue State House of Assembly, Governor Alia should abandon the name ‘Alia Care’ and revert to the original name, ‘Conditional Cash Transfer,’ which is a Federal Government initiative.”

In addition, the Defenders of Democracy called on Governor Alia to account for the utilization of the N5 billion palliative funds provided by the Federal Government.

The group asserted that it is the right of the people to be informed about the Governor’s actions concerning these matters.

Furthermore, Governor Alia should disclose the details of federal allocations received and the state’s internal revenue generated since June 2023.

The Defenders of Democracy expects Governor Alia to promptly address these concerns and provide clarity on the aforementioned issues.”


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