A financial expert, James Ayati, has questioned the Benue State Government’s decision to obtain an N11 billion commercial loan for infrastructure projects despite a reported N55.92 billion in unspent capital receipts at the end of June 2026.

Ayati raised questions over the state’s financial position under Governor Hyacinth Alia, particularly against the backdrop of increased government revenue and a reported decline in the state’s domestic debt.

In an analysis, Ayati asked whether Benue was financially constrained despite the state government’s own financial reports indicating that significant funds remained unspent as of June 2026.

He also questioned why the administration opted to borrow N11 billion instead of deploying part of the reported N55.92 billion available for capital expenditure.

Ayati further queried why additional debt was being placed on Benue taxpayers if the state had sufficient funds to finance infrastructure projects.

He said the questions became more significant because, according to his analysis, the N11 billion loan was obtained with a cash-backed collateral of N54 billion in a government account that remained unused.

According to Ayati, the Alia administration owes the people of Benue an explanation for borrowing N11 billion from a commercial bank for infrastructure when the state’s financial reports showed N55.92 billion in unspent capital receipts at the end of June 2026.

He said his analysis was based on figures contained in financial reports published by the Benue State Government.

Ayati noted that at the end of the 2025 financial year, Benue State had N44.74 billion in unspent capital receipts, citing the Benue State 2025 Audited Financial Statement.

He said the state’s financial position changed further in the first quarter of 2026.

According to the Benue State Budget Implementation Report (BIR) for Q1 2026, the state recorded N128.17 billion in earned revenue between January and March 2026, while total expenditure stood at N82.28 billion.

Ayati said the figures left N45.89 billion in unspent capital receipts at the end of March 2026.

He further cited the Benue State BIR for Q2 2026, which he said showed that the state earned another N94.26 billion in statutory revenue between April and June 2026.

According to his calculation, when the N45.89 billion balance carried forward from Q1 was added to the revenue recorded in Q2, the reported capital receipts available amounted to N140.15 billion.

He said the state recorded N84.23 billion in actual expenditure during the second quarter, leaving N55.92 billion in unspent capital receipts at the end of June 2026.

Ayati said the figures raised broader questions about the state’s financial planning and debt management, particularly as Benue’s revenue has reportedly increased substantially in recent years.

He noted that the state’s annual actual revenue rose from about N100 billion in 2022 to approximately N148 billion in 2023, N328 billion in 2024 and N443 billion in 2025.

At the same time, he said Benue’s domestic debt reportedly declined by nearly 40 per cent, from about N188 billion in the first quarter of 2023 to N113 billion, citing reports from the State Debt Management Office.

Ayati further claimed that since 2023, the state had paid about 15 per cent of its actual total revenue towards debt servicing, amounting to approximately N171 billion.

Against that background, he questioned why the state needed to contract another N11 billion commercial loan for infrastructure despite its reported increase in revenue and reduction in domestic debt.

He described the issue as one of financial planning, cash management and value for money rather than simply whether the state had money available on paper.

“If the state had N55.92 billion in unspent capital receipts at the end of June 2026, why was an additional N11 billion commercial loan needed for infrastructure — an amount equivalent to only about one-fifth of the reported unspent balance?” Ayati asked.

He also questioned whether the existing funds could have been deployed before resorting to commercial borrowing and whether there were legal, contractual or other restrictions preventing the use of the reported funds.

“If the N55.92 billion was genuinely available for capital spending, why borrow at a cost to taxpayers when significant funds remained unspent?” he asked.

Ayati stressed that the questions were legitimate for any government entrusted with the management of public resources.

“The figures come from the government’s own financial reports. The issue, therefore, is not whether Benue has money on paper,” he concluded.

By Israel Adamu;Jos

 Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has approved the allocation of land in the state capital for the establishment of a Digital Fabrication Centre by the Industrial Training Fund, ITF.

This was contained in a statement signed by Thomas Ngor, Director, Press and Public Relations, and made available to journalists in Jos at the weekend. 

According to the statement, Mbah disclosed the approval when he received a delegation from the ITF, led by its Director-General, Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, on a courtesy visit to the Government House, Enugu.

The governor described the proposed centre as timely and in line with his administration’s vision of transforming Enugu into a leading destination for investment, innovation and technology-driven industrial development.

Mbah said the future of economic prosperity depended on deliberate investments in human capital and emerging technologies, noting that his administration had continued to create an enabling environment for innovation, enterprise and sustainable growth.

He explained that the state government had made technical education compulsory in its basic education system, with emphasis on digital literacy, robotics and mechatronics to prepare young people for the future of work.

According to him, many traditional trades are now increasingly driven by digital technologies, making it imperative to equip young people with relevant technical competencies that would enable them to compete globally.

The governor also disclosed that his administration had built smart schools across the state, equipped with robotics centres, mechatronics laboratories and other modern learning facilities.

He said the establishment of the ITF Digital Fabrication Centre would strengthen the state’s efforts to build a knowledge-based economy, promote innovation and local manufacturing, as well as create employment opportunities for the growing youth population.

Earlier, the ITF Director-General, Ogun, said he was mandated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to upskill Nigerian artisans to international standards following his appointment as head of the Fund.

He said the ITF had repositioned its technical and vocational skills development programmes through initiatives such as the Skill-Up Artisans, SUPA, programme, which is designed to train, certify and license Nigerian artisans to international standards.

Ogun disclosed that the Fund had already established a Digital Fabrication Centre in Ikeja, Lagos, with the capacity to produce more than 400 different products.

He therefore requested the allocation of land in Enugu State for the establishment of a similar centre, saying the initiative would promote industrialisation, reduce dependence on imports and prepare Nigerians for opportunities in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The ITF boss also reaffirmed the Fund’s readiness to enter into Public-Private Partnerships, PPPs, to transform Nigeria’s artisanal ecosystem.

He noted that digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotics and computer-aided manufacturing, were rapidly transforming the global economy, stressing the need for Nigeria to deliberately invest in upskilling its workforce to remain globally competitive.

The statement added that the ITF delegation later embarked on a guided tour of facilities at one of the smart schools established by the Enugu State Government.

By Aga Samuel Imoter
Jalingo

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has marked his 58th birthday anniversary in Taraba State with the flag-off of a free medical and surgical outreach expected to benefit more than 10,000 people across the state’s three senatorial districts.

The outreach, which began on August 3, 2026, is being conducted through selected health facilities across the state, with tertiary-level services provided by the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo; Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; and National Orthopaedic Hospital, Jalingo.

The initiative is aimed at expanding access to medical and surgical care for residents, particularly vulnerable persons and families who may be unable to meet the cost of essential healthcare services.

The flag-off ceremony, held at FMC Jalingo, coincided with the commissioning of six major healthcare projects executed under the leadership of the Medical Director, Dr Aisha Shehu Adamu.

The newly commissioned facilities are the Accident and Emergency Complex, Auditorium, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Theatre Complex, High Dependency Unit (HDU) and Kidney Centre.

The event was attended by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate; Taraba State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas; members of the National Assembly; senior APC officials; Medical Directors and Chief Medical Directors of federal health institutions across the North-East; members of the Taraba State Executive Council and House of Assembly, among other dignitaries.

Speaking at the event, Yilwatda said he chose to mark his birthday through a humanitarian intervention designed to provide practical support to people facing healthcare challenges.

He thanked Governor Kefas for the reception accorded him and commended the management of FMC Jalingo for the transformation recorded at the institution.

The APC chairman also acknowledged the support of the Taraba State Government in extending the medical intervention to communities across the three senatorial districts.

He urged political leaders, public officials, corporate organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians to support initiatives that improve the welfare of vulnerable citizens.

Yilwatda also expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the medical outreach and commended Prof. Pate for his efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Governor Kefas commended Yilwatda for choosing Taraba as the venue for his 58th birthday and for using the occasion to provide free medical services to residents.

The governor said the intervention would provide much-needed relief to beneficiaries, particularly people who might otherwise struggle to access medical and surgical care.

He also commended the medical personnel and frontline healthcare workers participating in the outreach for their dedication and commitment to serving residents across the state.

Kefas welcomed the Coordinating Minister and other dignitaries to Taraba, describing their participation as a demonstration of support for initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of citizens.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, congratulated Yilwatda on his 58th birthday and commended the decision to use the occasion to support healthcare delivery.

Pate stressed the importance of interventions that expand access to healthcare and improve the wellbeing of underserved communities.

He also commended Governor Kefas for his efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in Taraba and praised the Medical Director of FMC Jalingo for the transformation recorded at the facility.

The commissioning of the six projects represents a major addition to the healthcare infrastructure of FMC Jalingo.

The facilities are expected to improve the hospital’s capacity to provide emergency, critical, surgical and specialised medical services, including renal care.

The Medical Director, Dr Aisha Shehu Adamu, expressed appreciation to the APC chairman, the Taraba State Government, the Coordinating Minister and other stakeholders for their support.

Adamu said the projects formed part of the institution’s efforts to strengthen service delivery and provide a more conducive environment for patients and healthcare professionals.

She described the decision by Yilwatda to commemorate his birthday through a humanitarian healthcare intervention as worthy of emulation, urging individuals, organisations and other stakeholders to support programmes that improve the lives of vulnerable Nigerians.

As part of the event, Medical Directors and Chief Medical Directors of federal health institutions across the North-East contributed ₦10 million towards the medical outreach.

The donation was made in support of the ongoing provision of free medical and surgical services to beneficiaries across Taraba State.

Earlier, the Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr Bodiya Buma, welcomed the APC chairman, the Coordinating Minister and other dignitaries to the state.

He commended the healthcare workers involved in the programme for their dedication and sacrifices towards ensuring the success of the outreach.

The ceremony also featured a birthday cake-cutting session in honour of Yilwatda and a cultural performance by the Taraba State Council for Arts and Culture.

The medical outreach and commissioning of the projects underscore the growing focus on expanding healthcare access and infrastructure in Taraba State, with FMC Jalingo reaffirming its commitment to improving specialised services and delivering quality, patient-centred healthcare.

The outreach is expected to continue providing medical and surgical interventions to beneficiaries across the state’s three senatorial districts.