So what could have been the
reason for this abysmal infrastructural decay which has engulfed the
God’s Own State? Where could these funds be?
Of course Governor T.A Orji’s antics
when he was Chief of Staff for eight years under Kalu will give a
considerable insight as to why Abia State is shortchanged under his
watch.
His propensity for shortchanging people was earlier manifested under the last administration where he served as CoS.
For example, individuals like Dr. Okam
and Prince Obinna who were directed by the then governor to collect the
sum of N500, 000 each from the office of the CoS with written
instructions and approvals were paid N300, 000 and N350, 000 instead,
after they have signed vouchers indicating the payment of N500, 000
without any genuine reason except the one T.A Orji will provide.
The payment voucher scam and the Ehimiri
Housing Estate sales would not throw anybody in doubt as to where the
foundation for the underdevelopment of Abia State was laid.
According to our source, “the sales of Ehimiri Housing Estate was handled by T.A Orji, he was the one in charge of the sales.
“I am not saying that Kalu is a saint
neither am I holding brief for him, but the truth must be told, except
the building housing police zone 9, kalu then as the governor has no
other house at Ehimiri, but T.A Orji’s houses in that estate are as
numerous as the estate itself,”
“As bad as they have projected Kalu in
the public, it is still on record that his Igbere country home was built
and commissioned in 1998 when he was not yet the governor of Abia
State. Can the same be said about T.A Orji who practically bought an
entire avenue for himself while governor?
“Benac Hotels, former Empire hotels was
purchased by T.A Orji while in office, his Azikiwe estate was also
purchased while serving, the ownership of Ohobo Housing Estate which is
located at the former Timber and Allied market remain controversial and
contestable as there are insinuations from different quarters that it is
a private investment of T.A Orji,” he said.
This led credence to allegation made by a
perm sec that the interim chairmen are forced to sign vouchers for
money they never collected or in most cases given a fraction of the
actual amount they signed.
Of course he unequivocally attributed
the abysmal infrastructural decay that characerized Abia State to this
mancing trend which he said is one of the reasons T.A Orji is averse to
conducting LGA election in the state.
Another factor that has contributed
immensely to underdevelopment in Abia State is the governor’s
susceptibility for media praise and propaganda which no doubt has turned
Abia State to milking ground to journalists.
A reliable source who works with African
Independent Television, AIT, told The City Reporters that the
television station alone has made billions of naira from Abia State
government airing the so called legacy projects, propaganda,
documentaries and the governors political activities.
We can authoritatively report that
despite the unprecedented hardship, infrastructural decay and complete
absence of democracy dividends which permeate the entire Abia state,
Governor T.A Orji spends a whopping sum N10bn annually on prints and
electronics media organizations, as well as, journalists on Abia state
pay roll.
T.A Orji also spend an estimated N5bn
annually on army of hirelings and professional praise singers who follow
him about. For example during the Abuja rally organized by the first
lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, the governor went to the rally with 300
hired praise singers who were paid N20,000 each.
The over 100 chartered buses which
convened the hirelings to the Abuja rally were said to have been paid
well over N100, 000 each for the two days political activities which our
source described as jamboree.
Abia State also spends a whopping sum of
N13.56bn annually from the state’s treasury on some failed and
irrelevant politicians who parade themselves elder statesmen.
These explains the reason they follow
the governor about, to the extent of publicly eulogizing him on
Broadcasting Corporation of Abia (BCA), and newspapers for nothing
except plunging Abia state economy into abyss.
These unprecedented eulogies and
tomb-ups for a governor who has failed in all ramifications, The City
Reporters gathered may not be unconnected with the sum of N25m, N10m and
N5m allegedly received monthly from Abia state governor respectively by
individuals such as Prof. Joe Irukwu, Ike Nwachukwu, Dr. Anagha
Ezeikpe, Chief,Obaewu Onwuka, Elder Emma Adaelu, Adolphus Wabara,
Herbert Orji, Vincent Ogbulafor, Onyema Ugochukwu, and Chukwu Nwachukwu.
Others are the three senators
representing the state, Eyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South Senatorial Zone)
Uche Chukwumerije (Abia North Senatorial Zone)Nkechi Justina Nwaogu
(Abia Central Senatorial Zone). The Abia House of Reps members, Hon
Nnenna Elendu Ukeje, Hon.; Eziuche Ubani (Obingwa, Ugwunagbo and
Osisioma Federal Constituency), Uzoma Abonta (Ukwa West/East), Chinenye
Ike (Isiala Ngwa North/South), Arua Arunsi (Arochukwu/Ohafia) and
members of the state House of Assembly Etc.
Another factor which has affected
development in Abia State is the constant hiring of aircrafts from Arik
fleets; a trend Barrister Ogbonna Okpara is allegedly benefitting
immensely from.
Our Government House Source described it this way:
“Barr. Ogbonna Okpara for eight years
running has been the Special Adviser to Governor T.A. Orji on Aviation.
He was the one that advised the governor to strike a contract with Arik
Airlines for one of their executive aircrafts on charter basis which has
been running for years now running into billions of naira.
“The man has been a major beneficiary of
that deal and the only way he thinks he can pay back to the governor is
to champion all the sychophantic groups of unemployed youths and touts
who he tips with stipends at the end of every government function at the
governor and his wife’s departure and arrivals at the Imo Airport,
popularly know as CROWD RENTALS.
“In a desperate bid to milk the
government dry, this man popularly called OGB pressurized the governor
to appoint his immediate elder brother, barr James Okpara a commissioner
in the Office of the governor, Government House, Umuahia who more or
less does nothing than poke nose to gossip with people to the governor
and family to get attention.
“One instance being that of the Chief of
Staff, Chief Cosmos Ndukwe whom they claim is nursing governorship
ambition even when the governor has said it point blank that he must
maintain the charter of equity by supporting an Abia South candidate.
“They also accused the chief of staff of
leaking some state information to the former governor of Abia State,
Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and his family who brought him into the system ab
initio. What baffles people is the fact that the chief of staff and the
Okpara brothers are all from the same Item village in Bende Local
Government.”
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