BY: EVEREST EZIHE
The appearance of Surveyor C.A.P Anele, the Imo State Surveyor General at the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban Planning after being on compulsory leave for over two months, is causing serious ripples as some members of the state Nigeria Institute of Surveyors (NIS) and the State Association of Private Practicing Surveyors of Nigeria (APPSN) have vowed to resist his return, accusing him of high handedness and gross financial misappropriation.
In a swift response to the allegations, Surveyor Anele who spoke to journalists described the accusations as “cheap political blackmail
The Surveyors who were against his return as the State Surveyor General based on the letter endorsed by the State Head of Service, Dr. Chibuzo Iwuagwu accused the embattled Surveyor General of mismanaging the statutory shares of both the State and Federal Surveyors Registration Council of Nigeria (SURCON) and the Nigeria Institution of Surveyors (NIS), the Imo state chapter, of the monthly accumulated proceeds from Deposition Fee for Red Copy (Beacon Fee Mandatory Deposit).
He said ” My only sin is that I worked with the immediate past administration of Imo State led by Owelle Rochas Okorocha and they are accusing me based on false information, the present administration have investigated me and they do know that I am innocent”.
They accused him and Surveyor Emma Duru, the immediate Past Chairman of the NIS of swindling the organizations several millions of naira, funds they were to have remitted on monthly basis as the organizations statutory share of the payments, noting that Surveyor Anele as the State Surveyor General is automatically the Chairman of SURCON in the state and signatory to the remittance account.
However, Surveyor Anele informed that before his “forced leave” on the 5th of December, 2019 by the illegal government of Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, he has documents justifying that he made several remittances of SURCON proceeds to the Federal as directed by the Constitution of the council and denied ever being signatory to NIS, account.
The Surveyor General was also accused of opening and closing fictitious accounts with UBA Plc and Zenith Bank Plc, Owerri branches in which they allegedly said that he used in connivance with some of the bank officials in reaping off the state government as well as the organizations, that is NIS and SURCON.
He described the allegations as “mere imagination” of his accusers.
They equally accused him of falsifying his age and records so as to remain relevant in the service also, citing Arosanya commission that detest any Surveyor General extending 3 years in office. His accusers also alleged that Surveyor Anele had spent over 13 years as the state Surveyor General and has naturally exceeded the 60years civil service retirement age.
Surveyor Anele while discussing the allegations, said he joined Imo State Civil Service in January 8, 1987 as a Surveyor after graduating from University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) in 1985 but though hard work, determination, honesty and God’s grace, he rose to become a Director under the office of the Surveyor General in April 24th, 2012.
He sais he became Surveyor General while on level 16 and eventually in August 2016 when the Office was elevated as extra ministerial department, he was appointed as Consolidated Survey General, which he said is equivalent to Permanent Secretary status.
He insisted he has clean records before the State Civil Service Commission and challenged the journalists to investigate him.
However, the aggrieved state members of Nigeria Institute of Surveyors (NIS) and Association of Private Practicing Surveyors of Nigeria (APPSN) passionately appealed to Imo State Government and Security agencies to resist Surveyor C.A.P Anele from resuming duty this Monday (10/2/2020) as the State Surveyor General assuring that they are poised for war even as they insist in their allegations that his earlier regime brought sorrows and demoralization to the workforce.
They also accused him of having penchant in plundering public funds and fractionalization of the work force which he denied saying that those disappointed with his administration are those who wants weak leaders and wants to cut corners.