After weeks of speculations and war of words between the Media Aides of the incumbent Gov. Alex Otti, and his predecessor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia State Government, has finally released the much-expected forensic audit report of Ikpeazu’s administration.
The 360-page dossier was released by the Commissioner of
Information, Prince Okey Kanu, after the State Executive Council meeting press
briefing Monday night.
A perusal of the document compiled by a renowned global
audit firm, Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler,
KPMG, shows various financial transactions and alleged infractions by the
immediate-past administration in the state.
It also contains details of how the administration authorized the release of N10 billion from the state coffers for the purpose of building Abia Airport, and later instructed the contractor to wire the fund into 32 different accounts.
Former Gov. Ikpeazu had since denied any culpability in the
airport contract, explaining that based on request by traditional rulers, the
fund was redeployed to road infrastructural development.
Before releasing the dossier Monday night, the Information Commissioner said said it had
become necessary for members of the public to peep into the document and keep
them abreast with facts of what truly transpired instead of getting carried
away by the propaganda of those who felt exposed by the report.
“So, we are going to release the report. We want people to
read it and interpret it. The report is ready in its content,” he declared.
Adding his voice, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media
and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, said that some of those indicted by the
report were already guests of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission,
EFCC.
“The EFCC has started
inviting those indicted by KPMG report. ” We are talking of N62 billion and not
N10 paid out in a COVID-19 year for building a non existent airport!
” You made transactions even before getting approval for the
payments? Instead of being ashamed for doing a despicable thing that they did,
they are on the media shamelessly mounting a propaganda.
“The audit is not directed at anybody, however, the actors
have the opportunity to defend themselves.”
Responding to a question on why the Governor decided to
commission an audit firm to audit the finances of the state under the watch of
the former Governor when a probe panel was already set up to investigate the
past administration, Ekeoma said the decision was in order.
He explained that there was nothing wrong with engaging a
reputable audit firm with track record of competence, integrity and experience
to professionally audit the state accounts to eliminate unnecessary doubts.
Ekeoma challenged those who felt exposed by the shocking
revelations in the report to rather go to the EFCC with their facts and clear
their names instead of resorting to media war to confuse the gullible with
fabricated documents.
On the claims by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, that the
State Government was embarking on
further verification exercises for Abia workers, the Information Commissioner
dismissed it as untrue.
According to him, the government only asked the workers to
upload their credentials online.
Recall that NLC had directed workers not to subject
themselves to any further verification exercise as allegedly requested by
Government via a circular.
The Information Commissioner explained that the delays in
the verification of some public servants were not the making of Government but
caused by errors in Bank Verification Numbers (BVN), issues of joint accounts,
of the affected persons, among others.
He explained that Gov. Otti’s administration places high
premium on the welfare of workers, and urged workers not to buy into the
propaganda of the opposition that could not pay them when they were in power.
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