Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, the immediate past governor of Abia State, has stated that the N10 billion that his administration budgeted for the Abia Airport project was neither embezzled nor diverted, unlike what his successor, Alex Otti, has claimed.
Ikpeazu claimed that when traditional state leaders advised him to abandon the project and concentrate on fixing the state’s main highways, the funds were reallocated into other initiatives with the agreement of the State Executive Council (SEC).
He claimed that traditional leaders had claimed that the feasibility of an airport project in Abia was undermined by the existence of airports in Owerri, Imo State, and Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
He claimed that traditional leaders argued that the feasibility of an airport project in Abia was undermined by the existence of airports in Owerri, Imo State, and Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The former governor requested Otti to stop playing to the gallery and use the records at his disposal to tell Abians the truth. He made this request through Chief John Okiyi Kalu, who served as his information commissioner at the time.
In lieu of building an airport, Okiyi-Kalu listed approximately eighteen projects, including roads and contractors that were awarded the N10 billion that was originally allocated for the project.
According to his list: “China Zonghghao for Osisioma flyover Aba & ABSUTH Road Aba got N800,000,000. Trackcare Construction Company for Aba-Owerri Road Aba (Brass to Osisioma junction segment, Ururuka road Aba, Afor Ibeji/ Ubakala Umuahia, Stella Marris Catholic Church, etc got N1,035,000,000.
“Ferrotex Construction Company for Aba-Owerri Road (Railway Junction-Brass junction segment) Aba, Obohia Road Aba, Opobo Junction-Ukpakiri Ogbor-Hill Aba, Uratta Ugwuati, Itungwa, Rehabilitation of failed Ururuka got N1,500,000,000.
“Shannah Jardon Construction Company for Okigwe Road Aba, Milverton Road Aba, Cemetery-Eziukwu Road Aba got N450,000,000. Ecklean: Osusu road Aba-N 200 000,000, Cosmos Construction Company for Immaculate Avenue Umungasi Aba got N150,000,000 while Setraco/Hartland for Port-Harcourt Road got N1,000,000,000.”
Further details are “Rockwaters for Ohanku Road Aba, Okpu Umuobo Aba got N650,000,000, MOW for Ebenma Street Aba and Ovom street Aba got N1, 130,000,000. Zubbalco for MBUBO Umuakwu got N200,000,000.”
Other details showed that “Tunnel End Construction Company got N780,000,000 for the construction of Umuene-Obikabia, Umuojima-umuokiri- Ekeakpara, Umuakatawom-Eziama-Ohanze while Paceo Carretera company got – N312,000,000 for the construction of Agalaba Ring Road in Obingwa.”
Based on the same information, Delhope Construction Company was awarded N557,000,000 to build the Federal Medical Center internal road, Aba Road Umuahia (GG-Shoprite), and Umuobiakwa-Owo Road Obingwa.
Additionally, it was learned that although BOK construction received N100,000,000 for the construction of the Agbama Ring Road Umuahia, MOW construction received N325,000,000 for the construction of the Umuobiakwa internal roads, Umuobiakwa (Gov) roads, Mbawsi internal roads, and the desilting of the Aba large gutter.
“Crystalkleen Construction for York/Jubilee/Nicholas street Aba got N30,000,000, Pumeco Construction for Aba road (Uchenna/ShopRite) Umuahia, Zero portholes in Umuahia roads got N353, 000,000, while Yodel construction for Afrata road, Umuahia got N100,000,000.
“E&P for Trinity College Road Umuahia got N60,000,000 and Obitex Development Company Ltd for construction of Ohuhu road from Isiokata, diversion from the gully erosion at Isiokata to Umuawa Ohuhu to Nkwoegwu got N125,000,000.“
Further information revealed that Pacon Company received N12,000,000 to finish the drains at Ozuomba/Ohazu Road, and Smutedge Company received N200,000,000 to restore the failed sections of Umuikaa-Umuenne.
“MOW Company for Zero potholes (Aba) got N 100,000,000, Charbel Company for Government House got 400,000,00 and the State Ministry of Public Utilities got N100,000,000 for Streetlights.“
Later on, Okiyi-Kalu worked as a commissioner for trade and investment. She described it as shocking that Otti and his media handlers rushed to a blogger to publish an indicting report against his former principal instead of the much-discussed audit report, after a demand was made for its publication.
Otti was chastised by him to quit misleading the populace with “lies and fiction” and to concentrate on governing.
Speaking in response to a report that claimed his government had given a N10 billion contract for the building of an airport in Abia without carrying out the same due diligence, Ikpeazu claimed Otti was using his forensic report on Abia finances to pursue political power and mislead naive individuals.
Ikpeazu added that Otti was deflecting attention from the Abia State quarterly reports, which demonstrated that his government had been careless with cash, in a statement that was made accessible the media yesterday.
Ikpeazu said, “Accounting for the N10 billion, no dime was diverted. Otti is diverting attention from his own quarterly report which captured him spending N3 billion on research and non-existent projects.
“Why is it that he is using the same Ferrotex contractor, who he accused of receiving N10 billion from us for major contracts today? What stopped him or his auditors from asking Ferrotex for explanations? We have decided to respond to him with evidence of jobs done. The time of truth has come.”
Giving an explanation of how the funds were used, Okiyi-Kalu stated that Ferotex Construction Company was given the Umuimo Road, Shalom Road, and Umuode Road in Abia since Otti took office as governor of the state.
“Currently, Ferotex Construction Company is equally handling 22.5 kilometres Isuikwuato-Abariba section of the 67.6 kilometres Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Abiriba-Ohafia Road, which is Otti‘s biggest road project in Abia State,” he said.
According to Okiyi-Kalu, on September 24, 2020, the Abia State Executive Council was initially presented with the airport project issue during a meeting.
According to what he stated the Exco had authorized, not only the project but also the state’s initial investment of N10 billion borrowed from UBA Plc, with the money being repaid through our FAAC account with the bank.
“You may wish to recall that during the period, the country was still struggling to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic with very low FAAC and IGR inflows across the states,“ he said.
According to Okiyi-Kalu, Prof. Kenneth Kalu, the current secretary to the state government (SSG) and an Otti appointee, can examine and verify his claim using Exco records that are under his possession.
“Shortly after we announced Exco‘s approval of the airport project, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu received in audience executives of Abia State Traditional Rulers Council then led by HRM Eze Joseph Nwabekee.
“On November 13, 2020, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu informed members of the State Executive Council about the details of his meeting with representatives of the traditional rulers in Abia State, who requested that we suspend the airport project and commit the funds earmarked for it to do more roads in the state, as we are surrounded by airports already but need to urgently improve internal roads that would give a further boost to the socio-economic activities of the state.
“Exco’s thereafter voted to approve the suspension and request to use the earmarked funds for road projects in the state.“
He said that on November 17, 2020, Ikpeazu announced the suspension of the airport project to the people of Abia via his official X (formerly Twitter) profile.
According to Okiyi-Kalu, Ikpeazu must have told Elder Bob Ogu, the then-commissioner for works, of his plan to halt the airport project while awaiting Exco approval.
As a result, the state Ministry of Works chose road projects in the Abia 2020 budget to fund with the N10 billion and provided resources to the contractors.
But he clarified that the list of tranche payments was not all-inclusive because those were the only ones he had in his private Exco memo, which he carried with him to meetings.
He emphasized that the Ministry of Works, under the leadership of Elder Bob Ogu, and the Ministry of Finance, under the leadership of Dr. Aham Uko at the time, ought to be able to provide a more thorough list to what he was stating. He also stated that it is true that additional tranche payments were made from other sources.
