The controversial wheelbarrows

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom has directed immediate removal of his name from wheelbarrows which pictures have been circulating on the internet. There have been speculations that the wheelbarrows were ’empowerment items’ to be distributed to youths in the State by the Governor.

Ortom’s media aide, Tever Akase, however, said in a statement on Thursday that the Governor has nothing to do with the wheelbarrows.

According to him, the wheelbarrows which were 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.

As such, the media aide said the Governor couldn’t have claimed credit for the gesture. He also added that the

He also added that the Ortom administration has numerous laudable empowerment schemes for youths of Benue but the donation of wheelbarrows to the youths is not one of such schemes.

The statement reads in full: “The attention of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has been drawn to pictures of wheelbarrows bearing his name and posted on social media suggesting that he plans to empower youths of the state with the carts.

“We wish to make it clear that the consent of the Governor was not sought and he did not give approval for anyone to inscribe his name on the said wheelbarrows.

“Governor Ortom is 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 so he couldn’t have claimed credit for the gesture.

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

“Consequently, the Governor has directed Secretary to the State Government to issue a query to the Executive Secretary of SEMA to explain why the said action was taken by his office.”