Recovery of govt property: Otti receives panel’s report

Recovery of govt property: Otti receives panel’s report

*  Vows to implement recommendations

By Steve Oko

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, has received the final report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on the Recovery of Stolen Government Property and Funds with a vow to implement the recommendations.

Otti said his administration had the courage and political will to take bold steps that would help re-invent the state.

The Governor who disclosed that some of the officials of Government in the previous administration involved in looting of Government property, had returned some of them, urged those yet to comply to make haste before the big hammer fails on them.

He said:”One thing that is not lacking in this government is courage. It is only courage that you require to do the right thing”.

“I can assure you that we are going to take this report very very seriously and we are going to implement it to the latter”.

“I want to reassure you that none of your recommendations will be swept under the carpet”.

“It doesn’t matter how long you have been living in a decayed system. Once you have the courage to correct it, you will start a new journey and anytime you start a new journey with courage, you will also be able to complete it.”

Gov. Otti expressed delight that some persons were beginning to return some Government property they illegally acquired.

“Already, some of the people you had called have already started complying. One came here to return documents of a property somewhere that he acquired illegitimately and he said he didn’t want our trouble”.

Governor Otti, meanwhile, approved the request of the panel for extension of its lifespan to be able to conclude some of the pending petitions.

He said:”Since there are petitions that have not been investigated, more time should be given to the panel to cover such areas instead of abruptly terminating the job of the panel”.

“I received the interim report earlier and I can confirm that the report was a job thoroughly done. I have no doubt that this final report would not depart from that trajectory you have set”.

“I had also heard how people tried to frustrate your efforts and also how you resisted them. This will go down in history as part of the courageous effort you and your team had made to rescue Abia State and to put it on the developmental path”, Governor Otti stated.

Gov. Otti lauded the Chairman of the panel, Justice Florence Duruoha Igwe and her team for their resilience and dedication .

Speaking earlier while submitting the three-volume report to the Governor, the Chairman of the Panel of Inquiry on recovery of government property and funds, Justice Florence Duruoha -Igwe said that the panel received 350 petitions and memoranda and had 99 sittings explained that they were able to conclude on such areas of their assignment as markets, lands, employments, movable properties, contracts and other related matters.

According to her, they did their best despite challenges and ‘not minding whose ox was gored’ and appealed to the Governor to pay attention to the panel’s recommendations.

Recall that Gov Otti, had shortly after assuming office, inaugurated the panel, and urged anyone with any stolen government property to voluntarily return same as they would not be allowed to part with them.

 

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.

About The Author