How ex-gov Orji, wife, son squandered N474bn in Abia (3)

Being the conclusion of a petition by the Save Abia Initiative for Change, a voluntary association of concerned citi­zens, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former governor Theodore Ahamefula Orji, wife and son.

It is very painful even though these spaces are government property Abians watch the governor do what he is doing with these properties with impunity. Only time will tell. They include;........


The relocated old Timber Mar­ket was destroyed and now converted to housing estate.
The former Umuahia Township Market relocated to Ubani is now being converted to residential buildings on one side and the remaining portion is errone­ously being called “Events Centre.”
The old Ministry of Lands and Housing is being converted to a housing estate.
The housing estate in Adelebu Street, Umuahia, containing several du­plexes is also on the list.
With impunity, he acquired, with government funds, and restructured and built where he now calls Ochendo Close along Azikiwe Road, Umuahia, contain­ing over 20 modern storey buildings.
The son of the Governor – Engr. Chinedu Orji – with funds from Local Government Councils, which he super­vised, built the shopping Plaza at No. 2 Aba Road, Umuahia, opposite General Post Office.
The Abia State Accountant General, Chief Gabriel Onyedilefu, used part of the money to acquire Garobi Hotel located at Upstair line, Umuahia.
Governor T.A. Orji used over N3.6 bil­lion to acquire buildings each not less than N500 million all over the country, where he established his photo laboratory each of which is not less than N100 million. Most of these properties are in the name of his children, Chief Nwabuko and Chief Silas Offor. They are:

No. 4, Item Street, Umuahia
Bonny by Umuwaya Road, Umua­hia
Azikiwe Road by UBE Street, Aba
No. 7, Royce Road Owerri – Imo State
No. 193, Aba Road – Port Harcourt beside Promise Fast Food
Photo Fast – Calabar Road beside Fidelity Bank – Calabar.
CONCLUSION

Everybody in Abia State and visitors will definitely observe that not much has changed since 2007. Again, if one asks the value of all the so-called legacy proj­ects, including all the repainted roads, one would be surprised that it is not more than N100 billion. It is, therefore, very impera­tive that something is wrong in the use of funds by the Government of Abia State under Chief T.A Orji.

We have seen how about N474 billion entered into the purse of Abia State since 2011 and how it was spent in the most embarrassing and reckless manner. If the sum of about N135 billion, which should be the projected salary and overhead cost for Abia workers from January 2011 to June 2015 and the sum of N100 billion or his legacy projects that is (N235 billion) is subtracted from the total money, accruing to the government within the period – that is N474 billion – we will have a balance of N241 billion in excess.

The implication of this is that, the gov­ernment squandered the sum of N24I billion to themselves with impunity. The Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is assumed to be zero for the same period since no record stating the amount on IGR is available. These facts actually call for concern – hence THE SAVE ABIA INI­TIATIVE has offered herself to ensure that all funds and properties belonging to Abia State and her people, which has been identified to have been misappropriated, embezzled or loot are recovered.

THE SAVE ABIA INITIATIVE FOR CHANGE hereby call on all Abia citizens both at home and in the Diaspora to rise up to their responsibilities and join the struggle to save Abia State.
Source:sunnews