Rights group kicks as Abia SEMB auctions Hilux for N300,000 without due process
By Steve Oko
A civil rights group, Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development, FENRAD, has raised an eyebrow over the decision of the Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB), Abia State, to sell of Hilux cars belonging to the agency for a paltry N317,000 only.
Below is a full text of a press statement issued by the ant-corruption group and made available to Wawa News Global:
“Vehicle Auction: Open the Books, FENRAD urges SEMB, Other Parties Involved to Show Accountability and transparency.
F”for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development, FENRAD Anti corruption, Environmental and Human Rights civil society group is growing increasingly concerned with the worrisome development – as obtained from online media publication – about an alleged illegal auctioning of vehicles by Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB).
“The 17 vehicles – meant to serve the seventeen LGAs within the state – were, without due process, sold off at the auctioned price of N317,000. 00 (three hundred and seventeen thousand naira only) without recourse to the law as is right The vehicles, FENRAD gathers, were not declared as “beyond economic recovery” (BER – when vehicles are no longer economically viable for sale). FENRAD learns also that the State House of Assembly’s Committee on Public Accounts, Anti-corruption and Due Process is currently investigating this issue and has adjourned the hearing to Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at Room 1 of the House, according to the positions outlined by the Committee leader, Hon. Barr. Jerry Uzosike. Also, FENRAD is aware the House minority leader, Mr. Chukwu Chijioke, affirmed that no stone shall be left unturned in the ongoing investigation.
“The absenting of affected parties – mostly staff of Ministry of Transport and those from Government House – the hearing, now postponed, would have held.
“In all fairness, honesty and Probity FENRAD wants SEMB to show any auctioning advertorial published online or on any national daily authorising the said auctioning and the Reports and pictorial evidence of the Auctioning and show also how buses parked at Ministry of Agriculture also got allegedly sold off or missing without due Process. FENRAD would also like to know if, after the sales of the vehicles, monies – in the form of proceeds – were channeled to the state coffers through Board of Internal Revenue ( BIR)
“FENRAD establishes that as an advocacy group it is seeking for justice for common good,
Promote Accountability and transparency and ensure public properties are channeled for personal use
FENRAD, to this end, urges the seventh assembly to make sure that the last, and even least, of this very matter is heard, addressed and justice served.
“FENRAD wants SEMB, state house officials, ministries of agriculture and transport to tell Abians how these vehicles for school bus and public transport purposes (commuting) got missing all of a sudden to exonerate from the illegal Auctioning.Only justice will do.
” Signed: Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor
Executive Director
FENRAD
“Barr. Olusegun Bamgbose
Head Legal Team
FENRAD”
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