Dear Ekeoma,
I had concluded that I will not respond to this your straw holding response to my detailed explanations, with names of people who are even members of your labour party who can verify these assertions according to Peter Obi : “Go and verify”
Kindly note that my interventions on such critical issues are basically to strengthen the narratives and can never be misconstrued to be support for any financial malfeasance of Abia funds.
Almost the whole Abians except for those recently recruited media aides from Abuja and Lagos understands my history and sojourn in Abia from 2015 to 2019 where i served pro bono as Commissioner for Finance including your humble self.
If you see any Obinna Oriaku Eze on the pay roll of the State with the on going probe, it is fraud as I was never paid a kobo by Abia state government as salary.
First Bank paid my salary for the Four (4)years I served in Abia.
The documents available to you, will show that on assumption of office as Commissioner for finance in Nov 2015, I met an approval that suggest that my predecessor was entitled to N1.6m monthly allowance for going to Abuja for FAAC meeting.
In a bid to practice what I believe, I personally reduced it down to N500k for the four years I served .
I understand it was moved back to N1.6m immediately I left with additional N5m monthly overhead for my successor which I understand still stands till date.
Ekeoma , dont remind me things I have forgotten .
Kindly reconfirm this my position from Accountant General’s office and revert.
You can now see that my advocacy started even with my office and please don’t see Obinna’s engagement today as opposition.
I have always practiced what I preach.
If I may ask, how much is your overhead in that office, you are looking more fresh than you were few months ago .
I have before now said that I will defend what happened while I was in charge and the issues referenced, falls under those categories hence my response and I will continue to do that .
Nothing can demonstrate transparency in government business than announcing or reporting receipt of allocations or interventions to the citizens of the state , setting up committee to superintend over it just like we do at “Umunna” level in the village.
I had expected that your response was that you had gone through the bail -out files or Paris club refund files since they are now in your custody, and your discovery is different from what I said or that you just called my former Permanent Secretary Mr Nnanna from Ohafia who incidentally is still in Umuahia and he disagreed with my submissions.
That’s how government business is done. It’s all about facts and documentations.
You don’t throw ball at me from the comfort of your office. Please demand for the files first .
The N30b Abia House of Assembly resolution being referenced were old missiles from your stable then as opposition leader which were properly intercepted early in 2015 and cleared as there was absolutely nothing like that, more so, when CBN stopped banks from granting facility to States due to then economic/ recession reasons.
What is clear today is that even with the little you have seen , not all that served under that administration were at the same wave length , with what many have read here, they have come to the conclusion that at least there were dedicated and focused men that once served in that government. That is why painting everybody with same brush is wrong and unfair.
I will attach a document that answers your questions on how much of outstanding pensions and salary arrears were met on assumption.
While I may not have the total figures off head the newspaper picture below shows that pensioners were demonstrating sometime in December 2016 demanding for three years arrears and Dr Okezie was just 15 months old in office. I hope this answers your questions.
My brother, government is continuum and our focus was basically to move the state forward at that time .
No matter how you view it , you guys are lucky that monthly allocations have greatly improved.
You would have been sweating under an air condition office in trying to balance different needs of the state and commitment of your boss.
No matter the hyper inflection or deprecation rate today , you can never compare total receipt of N3.6b in December 2015 and N13b by this government in December 2023 especially when salaries have even gone down .That’s why I said enjoy na your God, but we need more from you guys.
All of us will not be chorus members at the same time.
On a lighter note , you have been eating alone and observing table manners, I hope you have not forgotten those that were in advocacy for good governance.
Have you identified the lady that was part of that team , reach her, as she was part of the team.
Am still in touch with other members including Honest and Mbaukwu. Dodo is on his own as I have lost him .
I placed a bet with a strong critic of mine that Abia airport never happened as alluded by our Oga , why can’t you help me eat that money by publishing the contractor’s name ;contract documents ; payment vouchers with dates which will enable me confiscate that placed amount .
This is the only thing I have begged you since you left us.
I have never sent my account number on a Friday before???? . kindly do it for me , I need to pay school fees .
Yours in vineyard of good governance then and now.
Obinna Oriaku
Ekwedike
About The Author
