Abia govt’s claim of using N1b to build 1 km of road, questionable – lawmaker * Vows to keep holding govt acciuntable despite persecutions * Says he has evidence of $856m World Bank largesse for infrastructural dev, palliative

Abia govt’s claim of using N1b to build 1 km of road, questionable – lawmaker

* Vows to keep holding govt acciuntable despite persecutions

* Says he has evidence of $856m World Bank largesse for infrastructural dev, palliative

 

By Steve Oko

Leader of the opposition All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, in Abia State, and member representing Aba South State constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Obinna Ichita, has expressed doubts over government’s claim of spending over $2 million to build a Kilometer of Road in Aba, saying that the claim is questionable.

The lawmaker also sought to know the whereabouts of about $26 million that was allegedly withdrawn by Government for the purchase of a Tunnel Boring Machine.

Hon Ichita in a statement, accused the State Government of persecuting him for demanding accountability and for voicing the minds of his constituents suffering the effects of infrastructural failure in Aba.

The statement made available to Ikenga Online, read in part: In my view, the claim of spending over 1 billion naira ( almost 2 million US dollars ) per kilometer on a dry land in Aba is not only questionable but also a clear demonstration of an exceptional level of insult on the collective intelligence of the people.

“Remember that no one knows the whereabouts of around 26 million US dollars that have been withdrawn for the purchase of a Tunnel Boring Machine, which machine has not been seen anywhere in Aba South nor the money refunded.”

On the state of the suit barring the lawmaker from making libelous statements against the State Government, Hon. Ichita said he had filed evidence before the court to substantiate his claims.

“Recall that Abia State Government through the Commissioner for Youths Mr. Charles Esonu and the Abia State Cordinator of the world bank project called Nigeria Erosion Watershed Managment Project (NEWMAP), one Mr. Izuchukwu Onwughara, surreptitiously asked the High Court of Abia State to stop me from asking the government of Abia state to explain how the government spent over 56 million US dollars that Abia State received from the World Bank for construction works in Aba South constituency. The very constituency that I represent in the parliament.

In the suits, Abia State government denied that they received 56 Million US dollars from world bank for construction works in Aba. They also denied the 800 million US dollars that should be shared to the citizens under the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) of the World bank. The government asked the court to order me to stop talking about infrastructural decay in my constituency.

“The executive arm of Abia State government essentially wants the Abia State Judicial arm to stop a member of the legislative arm from exercising his constitutional duty of oversight. This absurdity has never been recorded anywhere in the federation, only in Abia State.

 

“In our response to the suit , we pleaded justification and told the court that indeed Abia State government received money from the World Bank for construction works on Uratta road, Obohia road, Ohanku road, Port Harcourt road and Ngwa road.

“We have also filled to the court, the evidence of the 800 Million US dollars from the World Bank that should be shared to the citizens under the CCT initiative and the evidence that Abia State received over 56 million US dollars from World Bank.

“Additionally, we have forwarded our list of witnesses to the courts, which include senior personnel of the Debt Management Office (DMO) of the Federal Government; senior officers of the Federal Ministries and federal agencies that documented the loan process and the contract documents.

“We also have a management staff of the commercial bank that received the 56.4 million US dollars that world bank payed for construction and flood mitigation projects in Aba South constituency.

“The man who was the Commissioner for Finance in Abia State, when this money was received by the State Government, is also among our witnesses.”

“Since we filled our statement of defence alongside our list of witnesses, Abia State government, their agents and their lawyers have refused to come to court”, Ichita claimed.

The matter is scheduled for hearing on April 1, 2022, before Hon. Justice Benson Anya of the State High Court.

The lawmaker vowed to continue to monitor World Bank sponsored projects in his Aba constituency to hold Government accountable for the people.

“We are actively monitoring the world bank projects in Aba south as well as the movement of funds for these projects, hence, we shall continue to apply pressure on the state government to ensure that World bank projects in Aba South constituency do not suffer the fate of Faulks road; a road that collapsed just few months after construction”.

The lawmaker urged his constituents who are eligible to vote to arm themselves with their Permanent Voter Registration ahead of the 2023 polls, assuring that the New Electoral Act
recently signed into law would restore credibility and transparency to the electoral system.

“The introduction of the Biometric Voter Accredition System (BVAS) and the signing into law of the Electoral Act 2022 means that elections will no longer be the way it used to be”, Ichita said.

 

Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email stevemanofgod2000@yahoo.com; wawanewsglobal@gmail.com Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria.

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