…Vow not to sit until Gov Ortom pays all outstanding entitlements
With barely 18 days to the exit of Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, members of the Benue State House of Assembly have boycotted sittings owing to non- payment of their six months salary arrears owed them by the State Government.
The Assembly members are also protesting the non-payment of their three months imprest meant for the day-to-day running of Committees and the apparent “no hope in site” for the payment of their Severance Gratuity few days to the expiration of their tenure.
Investigations further revealed that the Benue Lawmakers are worried that with less than three weeks to the expiration of their term of office, Governor Ortom is not showing any sign of clearing their six months salary arrears, three months imprest and Severance Gratuity and have resolved not to hold Plenary Sessions until all their entitlements are paid to them.
Following this resolve, the Benue lawmakers, who were billed to seat last Thursday, told the Speaker, Hon. Titus Uba, in an Executive Session held in the Speaker’s office that if all their financial entitlements were not paid, they will keep boycotting House sittings.
There and then, the legislators asked the Speaker and some members of the Leadership to leave the session and proceed immediately to Government House to convey their annoyance to the Governor. All the Benue lawmakers later left without plenary.
The Assembly, which reconvened on Tuesday, again refused to seat as members reacted angrily to the inability of the Governor Ortom to yield to their demands and resolved to proceed to the Speakers residence to meet with him.
But the outcome of the meeting is yet to be made public at the time of filling this story.
