Former Commissioner for Data; Commerce & Funding below former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu has made additional clarifications on the controversial forensic audit report lately launched by the federal government of Alex Otti.
Kalu who reeled out a few of Ikpeazu’s achievements whereas within the saddle gave a blow by blow particulars on how the concept of an airport was conceived and executed.
The main points had been contained in an announcement launched to the media on Sunday.
See full particulars beneath…
“My consideration has been drawn to a publication by “Whistler” Weblog reportedly printed by Governor Alex Otti’s ally and rumored designated successor, Chief James Chijioke Ume (Koos) of Abam in Arochukwu LGA of Abia State whereby they sought to proceed the media assaults and trial in opposition to former Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, with identical unsubstantiated claims first dished out in faraway United States of America by Governor Otti.
“I used to be a member of the Abia State Government Council (Exco) and functioned as Honorable Commissioner for Data when the concept of establishing Abia Airport was first mentioned throughout Exco assembly of twenty fourth September 2020. Based mostly on the presentation made to Exco, we accredited the challenge and likewise accredited the borrowing of N10bn from UBA Plc as preliminary funding by the state with compensation charged to our FAAC account with the financial institution. Chances are you’ll want to recall that throughout the interval the nation was nonetheless struggling to emerge from COVID-19 pandemic with very low FAAC and IGR inflows throughout the states.
“With that approval by Exco the processes associated to the challenge kicked off. The present Secretary to State Authorities who’s an appointee of Governor Otti, Prof Kenneth Kalu, can overview and make sure my declare from Exco data in his custody.
“Shortly after we introduced Exco’s approval of the airport challenge, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu obtained in viewers executives of Abia State Conventional Rulers Council then led by HRM Eze Joseph Nwabekee.
“On the thirteenth of November 2020, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu knowledgeable members of the state govt council concerning the particulars of his assembly with representatives of the normal rulers in Abia State who requested that we droop the airport challenge and commit the funds earmarked for it to doing extra roads within the state as we’re surrounded by airports already however have to urgently enhance inside roads that may give an additional enhance to the socio-economic actions of the state. Exco thereafter voted to approve the suspension and request to make use of the earmarked funds for highway initiatives within the state (Attachment 1).
“On the seventeenth of November 2020, Governor Ikpeazu took to his official X (previously Twitter) deal with to tell netizens that the airport challenge had been suspended (Attachments 2 & 3).
“Clearly Governor Ikpeazu will need to have knowledgeable the commissioner for Works of his intention to droop the Airport challenge in anticipation of Exco approval, therefore the State Ministry of Works chosen highway initiatives in our 2020 price range for funding with the N10 billion and allotted assets to the contractors.
“Ferotex Building Firm which is among the respected indigenous building firms with anti-graft businesses’ clearance was chosen by the Ikpeazu administration as lead firm within the “contractor financier” preparations with UBA (Attachment 4).
“This contractor finance association shouldn’t be alien inside the public sector and you might want to see an analogous association entered into by the Alex Otti authorities with Craneburg Building Firm for N50bn (Attachment 5) facility earmarked for “numerous roads”. Such lead firms are kind of consultants that may obtain the majority quantity and pay different highway contractors as banks would not going conform to enter into a number of agreements with all of the contractors.
“Among the contractors and initiatives recognized to me that had been paid from the N10bn embrace:
i. China Zonghghao for Osisioma flyover Aba & ABSUTH Highway Aba – N800,000,000
ii. Trackcare Building Firm: for Aba-owerri highway Aba (Brass to Osisioma junction section, Ururuka highway Aba, Afor Ibeji/ Ubakala Umuahia, Stella Maris Catholic Church, and so on -N1,035,000,000
iii. Ferrotex: Aba-owerri highway (Railway junction-Brass junction section) Aba, Opobo Junction-Ukpakiri Ogbor Hill Aba,,Uratta Ugwuati, Itungwa -N1,500,000,000
iv. Sannan Jandon: Okigwe highway Aba, Milverton highway Aba, Cemetery-Eziukwu highway Aba-N450,000,000
v. Ecklean: Osusu highway Aba-N 200 000,000
vi. Cosmos Building: Immaculate Avenue Umungasi Aba-N150,000,000
vii. Setraco/Hartland, Port Harcourt Highway Aba, N1,000,000,000
viii. Rockwaters, Ohanku Highway Aba, Okpu Umuobo Aba -N650,000,000
ix. MOW: Ebenma Avenue Aba, Ovom road Aba- N1, 130,000,000
x. Zubbalco, MBUBO Umuakwu,-N200,000,000
xi. Tunnel Finish: Umuene – Obikabia, Umuojima,- umuokiri- Ekeakpara, umuakatawom-Eziama- ohanze -N780,000,000
xii. Paceo Carretera: Agalaba Ring road-N312,000,000
xiii. Delhope: Umuobiakwa-Owo highway, Obingwa, Federal medical middle inside highway, Aba highway Umuahia (GG-shoprite) -N557,000,000
xiv. MOW: umuobiakwa inside roads,Nbawsi inside roads, Desilting of Aba massive gutter – N325,000,000
xv. BOK: Agbama Ring highway Umuahia-N100,000,000
xvi. Crystalkleen: York/Jubile/Nicholas road Aba -N30,000,000
xvii. Pumeco Building: Zero porthole alongside Umuahia roads -N353, 000,000
xviii. Yodel: Afrata highway, Umuahia- N100,000,000
xix. E&P Contracting: Trinity school highway Umuahia -N60,000,000
xx. Obitex growth firm Ltd: Ohuhu highway from Isiokata, diversion from the gully erosion at isiokata to umuawa ohuhu to Nkwoegwu.-N125,000,000
xxi. Smutedge: Rehabilitation of failed parts Umuikaa-umuenne, -N200,000,000
xxii. Ministry of Public Utilities: Streetlighs -N100,000,000
“Kindly observe that the listed tranche funds aren’t exhaustive as these had been the one ones in my private Exco observe that I saved throughout conferences. Additionally it is true that different tranche funds had been constituted of different sources. The ministry of Works led by Elder Bob Ogu and Ministry of Finance led by Dr Aham Uko ought to be capable to provide a extra complete record. Alternatively, the present administration can even monitor by means of the related Ferotex challenge acciunt.
“A critical audit investigation will merely search to ascertain if the allotted funds obtained to the businesses and likewise if the contractors did the work. Otti’s “ one of many prime 3 audit corporations on this planet” did not observe the cash as anticipated of any audit agency, even the least ones.
“Those that declare that there was want for “virement” could also be talking out of ignorance on this case. The highway initiatives had been already in our accredited price range therefore no want for additional home approval. All state revenues are anticipated for use to fund state price range and from the time we had approval to spend on the roads as a substitute of Airport there may be, in my view, no additional want for legislative approval.
“I’m additionally assured that if there was any authorized requirement for additional home of meeting approval the administration of UBA Plc will need to have demanded for and obtained it from authorities earlier than disbursement of money for the highway initiatives. Whoever is eager about seeing such approval can contact UBA Plc. You will need to observe that there was no draw down on the funds till November twenty sixth 2020, when Governor Ikpeazu signed attachment 6, as a result of the financial institution positioned a lien pending when all of the documentation was accomplished. This may be verified from the related UBA accounts by the Auditors and Otti’s administration. Certainly, the disbursements continued past January 2021.
“For the additional schooling of those that verbalize phrases they don’t perceive, virement is the method of transferring objects from one monetary account to a different. On this case, the airport challenge and the highway initiatives should each be within the 2020 price range earlier than you may execute virement. I can personally not recall if the Airport challenge was in our 2020 price range as on the time it was accredited by Exco or meant to be accredited through supplementary price range, therefore, I can not communicate to any necessity for virement by means of the Home of Meeting. We by no means spent N10bn on any Airport challenge, so additional debate on this course is tutorial.ABIA MONEY WAS SPENT ON ABIA ROADS!
“As an lively member of exco whose job was to coordinate data dissemination, I had entry to some associated paperwork to the allocation of funds for the highway initiatives. See attachment 6.
“Any “respected” audit agency eager about doing a superb job might simply have tracked the fee of the N10bn to Ferotex and additional to the opposite building firms listed above that obtained funds and every other(s).
” It’s on document that Governor Alex Otti ill-advisedly sacked senior civil servants in Abia State together with Everlasting Secretaries and Administrators that labored with Governor Ikpeazu. Who then is the “ministry of works” employees that confirmed to the auditors that he/she doesn’t know concerning the transactions? Clearly, it should be an Otti appointee who’s doing the bidding of a grasp that’s fixated on dragging his predecessor by means of the mud.
“As an illustration, I imagine both Engr Ogbuokiri or Engr Okpara SC was the everlasting Secretary within the Ministry of Works when the initiatives below reference had been executed. Otti sacked Okpara just because he labored with former Governor Ikpeazu whereas he is able to give a response to the “prime 3 audit agency” of Otti. That was how Otti decapitated continuity in governance in Abia State.
“It’s a crying disgrace {that a} state Governor who subscribed to an oath of workplace is leaking forensic audit doc paid for by Abia tax payers to a blogger somewhat than use official authorities platforms to publish identical materials. If that’s not a misdemeanor and abuse of workplace, I’m wondering what else it’s.
” It additionally speaks quantity that Governor Otti is so ashamed of his personal “forensic audit by “one of many prime 3 audit corporations on this planet” that he couldn’t publish the total paperwork by means of Abia state’s official platforms similar to Abia State Authorities web site however somewhat selected to leak bits and items by means of a blogger after which threaten his predecessor, who’s but to see the report, with EFCC.
” I personally don’t imagine Governor ikpeazu ought to reply to a doc printed by an Otti’s blogger. He ought to wait until a replica of the forensic aisit report is given to him or formally printed by the state authorities.
” Governor Alex Otti should know that at EFCC, persons are given alternatives to reply to allegations in opposition to them as in opposition to a supposed forensic audit that by no means permitted the auditee to reply. Related monetary transactions are monitored and precise initiatives inspected by EFCC.
“I’m certain former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu will willingly reply to any invitation by the EFCC or every other legit anti-graft company within the nation after 8 years of meritorious service to his state. He isn’t afraid of answering any invitation to present account however certainly EFCC is not going to be swayed by media trials orchestrated by a bitter political rival. They observe details not fiction.
“In some unspecified time in the future after leaving workplace, Governor Alex Otti may even have to present account of his stewardship and if he’s succeeded by somebody like him I can solely pray that God may have mercy on him.
“Clearly, the Otti administration is in a rush to bury the latest quarterly monetary report evaluation that confirmed multi-billion naira monetary indiscretions together with allocating billions of tax payers cash to laughable sub-heads like “Analysis & Growth” which was used to expend a humongous N3bn when we’re not on our solution to the moon and N890m for meals and delight at a time Abia staff are but rir obtain promised wage awards.
“Piecemeal leaking of doctored official authorities paperwork to a blogger may even not cease us from demanding that Governor Alex Otti cease working just like the Emperor of Abia State and permit Hon Aaron Uzodike to be inaugurated because the member representing Aba North State Constituency who has legitimate Certificates of Return issued by INEC. That Governor Otti has launched into a private mission of figuring out what constitutes justice by a legislation courtroom is precisely what makes him an EMPEROR, not no matter I say or write.
“Lastly, it is very important observe that no nicely intentioned democratic chief with outlined growth agenda focuses on hounding his rivals by means of media trial and making an attempt to border outstanding opposition figures for incarceration in any respect price just because they disagree with him.
” These clapping for Governor Alex Otti in the present day should learn the phrases of a sure Dr Alex Otti which he penned in an article titled “ Who Are You To Ask Me Questions?” It was printed by Thisday Newspaper of nineteenth July 2021:
“What we discover right here is that in lots of circumstances, management turns itself into sit tight despots, threatening, insulting and bullying anybody who dares to ask questions and needs to carry it to any type of accountability. In the middle of doing so, it believes that it could silence the folks and plunder the patrimony with out accountability and with no consequence. It’s, nonetheless, instructive that after the folks maintain quiet, they wittingly or unwittingly consent to the plundering of its assets and subsequently are vicariously culpable, like Albert Einstein aptly acknowledged above. The explanation why management appears to not care concerning the folks is as a result of it will possibly perpetuate itself in energy by hook or criminal no matter what the folks do.”
XOur pricey Governor Alex Otti, kindly take heed to the well-known authorities critic and opposition chief known as Dr Alex Otti. Maintain yoirself to greater normal of management than you’re providing Abians in the present day.
” All accessible details present that Governor Otti created the Airport controversy and he’s the one additionally fuelling it to divert consideration from his quite a few failures together with poor administration of Abia assets below his care, as will be verified from the lately printed quarterly monetary report authored by his authorities.
“Moreover, Ferotex Building Firm is among the contractors at present engaged by Governor Otti in no less than 4 lively initiatives websites within the state. His authorities reportedly additionally used Ferotex firm for a latest contractor financier association in billions of naira. That he has entry to Ferotex and but continued with this false narrative exhibits that he’s merely being mischievous as in opposition to being gubernatorial.”
