Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first African-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has disclosed parts of the findings of the forensic audit of Abia State accounts, consequently raising questions about the handling of the scarce resources of the State by some of his predecessors.
From what he described as “shocking” information from the audit he authorized and commissioned, he revealed that a whopping “N79.3 billion naira was paid to 7 contractors for contracts that were not executed at all — uptil today. Another N15.9 billion was paid to 63 contractors with no supporting documents anywhere in the State. Another N12 billion naira was paid to 2 contractors for contracts that do not exist.”
Among the findings include the jaw-dropping information that he cited during his comments at a TownHall event on Saturday, April 20, 2024, where he took questions in Maryland. The audit further revealed that on September 25, 2020, almost 4 years ago, N10 billion was paid to “some contractor for the construction of the Abia Airport. We’ve spent time trying to locate the airport; up till now, we have failed…. As we continue to look for our airport, we’ve also involved the security agencies to help us search….”
INEC governorship information and the USAfrica news index regarding the year 2020 affirm that Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu was Abia Governor from May 29, 2015 to May 29, 2023.
Gov. Otti told his audience that the main message of this revelation is that voters should not elect people into power who merely seek how to steal public money.
He mentioned as an example of his cost-saving approach to the governance of Abia State, instead of traveling with a delegation of 20 persons, he said he came with only 2 persons.
On Friday, April 19, 2024, at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Affairs (SAIS) in NorthWest Washington, DC, Otti spoke on “State Governance and Economic Transitions: Meeting the Challenges.”
To the diasporans and the business communities, he emphasized that his government is not begging for money. He said they are looking for partnerships and collaborations. By Chido Nwangwu. follow @Chido247
