A watchdog group in Imo State, the Imo Awareness Coalition, IAC, has said “no saint may have governed the State since civilian rule returned to the State since 1999”
The IAC in a statement in Owerri signed by its Publicity Secretary, Fidelis Echendu, said with the latest allegations by the Uzodinma administration leveled against the out-gone Ihedioha administration over alleged mismanagement of N19.63 billion naira LG funds, it has become necessary for all past civilian administrations in the State to be probed.
“All past administrations in Imo State since 1999 should undergo investigation. It is now crystal clear that no saint may have governed the State.
“It is not enough to limit such probe to one or two past administrations in the State. If we must have a clean bill of the finances of the State, and ascertain how monies accrued to the state in the past 20 years spanning across four administrations was used, then the probe should not be limited to the immediate past administration of Emeka Ihedioha alone.
“Though we are watching these latest allegations with keen interest, we believe that the State, can put a halt to suspected depletion of its finances of the State for unjustifiable reasons in the future, if we institutionalize a process of bringing those who governed the state, to give account of their stewardship and how they managed funds and finances of the state after they have left office.
“It has become a pattern in the state that, when an administration ends and another begins, we are inundated with tales of financial mismanagement. It is unclear to us if these allegations are mere witch hunt or really existed.
“Therefore, we strongly advise that all past administrations in the state should be accountable to the people of the state after their stewardship.
“There should be an act of legislation, to set up a special Commission, which will compel past governors of Imo State to give account of their stewardship and monies accrued to the state during their reign. This will provide ample opportunity for the people to make informed opinions of every administration and how prudent such government was ”
Recall Imo State Commissioner of Information, Hon Declan Emelumba, had announced that the State government has approved the request of the Auditor General for local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, to commence necessary steps to recover N19.63 billion allegedly siphoned from the State-Local Government Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC), through the Bureau for Local government and Chieftaincy Affairs (BLGCA), by the sacked government of Emeka Ihedioha, in seven months in office.
According to the Commissioner, who spoke to newsmen in Owerri, the monies were allegedly siphoned either for spurious and phony projects, projects/contracts not executed, and or through huge cash withdrawals for undisclosed purposes.
Hon. Mayor Eze, who was Ihedioha’s Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, described the allegations “a comic relief for this covid 19 at home period”
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