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Imo Finances: Why Ihedioha must probe Okorocha — Intersociety

Published

6 years ago

March 28, 2019

grassroots

BY: Ikenna Oluka

Foremost pro-democracy and civil rights group, the Int’l Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety), on Wednesday demanded a probe of the financial dealings of the out-going administration of Rocahs Okorocha by the incoming one of Emeka Ihedioha.

The demand is contained in a statement issued in Onitsha by Intersociety, in which it claimed that Imo finances are currently “in a mess” and need to be cleaned up. The statement was signed by Intesociety Chair Emeka Umeagbalasi; Head, Democracy & Good Governance Programme, Chinwe Umeche, Esq.; and Head, Campaign & Publicity Department, Chidinma Udegbunam, Esq.

It reads in part: “Assuming the Governor-Elect of Imo State, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, truly wishes to govern the People of Imo State purposefully and constructively, his Administration must start with holistic investigation and cleaning of the mess in the finances of Imo State. Going by several advocacy investigations carried out by Intersociety in recent times on the state of the finances of the States in the Southeast Nigeria, the past and outgoing Governments of Imo State have consecutively run huge budget deficits over the years. This is despite several “external funds interventions” such as “Paris Club refunds”, “Federal Government credit or soft loan facilities” and “international financial/development assistance”.

“This is more so when Government borrowings are easily determined by the amount of its annual deficit budgets or a situation where such Government’s projected annual IGR, Federal allocations, cornered LGA allocations and zero borrowings or financial assistance are doubly overtaken by its projected annual budget (recurrent: overheads and personnel costs and capital budget).

“For instance, if a Government such as the outgoing Government of Imo State budgets, say, N150b as its total annual budget, out of which N90B is expected from IGR, Federal allocations, cornered LGA allocations and other zero borrowings or financial assistance; it simply means that the same Government will unstoppably borrow N60B elsewhere to fund the budget deficits; especially when there is no supplementary budget for cutting down the mother budget and its huge deficits.”

Intersociety consequently demanded that the incoming Administration of Emeka Ihedioha in Imo State must do the following:

a. Set up a Verification Panel of Auditors to investigate and verify the mess in the finances of the outgoing Government of Imo State so as to:

b. ascertain the true state of finance of the State

c. what is left in the State coffers (if any)

d. total amount of unpaid arrears of salaries and other remunerations belonging to serving workforce of the Government of Imo State and those in its 27 Local Government Areas between 29^th May 2011 and 29^th May 2019 and those owed by previous Administrations in the State before 29^th May 2011.

e. total amount of unpaid pensions, gratuities and other retirement benefits belonging to retired workforce of the Government of Imo State and its 27 Local Government Areas between 29^th May 2011 and 29^th May 2019 and those owed by previous Administrations in the State before 29^th May 2011.

f. total amount of unpaid judgment debts by the outgoing Government of Imo State, dates of their obtainment and parties and persons owning them.

g. total amount of unpaid contract debts by the outgoing Government of Imo State for contracts already completed and commissioned (if any)

h. total amount of unpaid contract debts in the State for uncompleted projects including roads (if any) and their various stages of completion as well as terms or circumstances of award of the contracts

i. total amount of foreign loans or unpaid debts borrowed externally by the outgoing State Govt., between 29^th May 2011 and 29^th May 2019 and those borrowed by the previous Administrations in the State before 29^th May 2011

j. total amount of local loans or unpaid local debts borrowed from commercial banks by the outgoing Government of the State between 29^thMay 2011 and 29^th May 2019 and those borrowed by the previous Administrations in the State before 29^th May 2011

k. illegal seizure or acquisition of Government lands or properties (if any) within the State or beyond by outgoing top elected and appointed officials in the State for personal use or criminal acquisition between 29^th May 2011 and 29^th May 2019.

l. illegal or unlawful withdrawals from the State coffers, other than for defraying statutory and legitimate monthly wage bills including payment of workers’ salaries, overheads and pensions; or for payment of duly certified completed public contracts or projects

m. holistic investigation into all local borrowings between 29^th May 2011 and 29^th May 2019 other than foreign borrowings; authentication of names and addresses of the lenders, purposes for obtaining the loans, their uses, agreed percentage interests and default penalties; repayments already done and specific and general terms or conditions for repayment of such loans or debts.

n. Blacklisting including court actions against the lenders of loans found to have been fraudulently obtained in law, through investigation under demand; by the outgoing Government of Imo State particularly those that fall outside loan lending laws of Nigeria and those possibly obtained between 12^th March 2019 and 29^th May 2019 or those obtained within the period but got backdated to evade traces and culpability.

o. Cancellation of such loans found to have been fraudulently obtained under paragraph “m” (if any) and abrogation of their repayment or servicing obligations and agreements with the Government of Imo State.

p. Publication and wide media circulation including advertorials, of the abridged findings of the Verification Panel of Auditors for specific and general public knowledge by the People of Imo State, Nigerians and members of the international community.

News

Emulate Christ’s virtues, Glo urges Christians at Easter

Reporter: Sandra Ani

Published

3 weeks ago

April 21, 2025

grassroots

Globacom

Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.

The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.

“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.

The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.

Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.

The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.

News

NUJ at 70: Private Broadcast Members Congratulate Union

Reporter: Ikenna Oluka

Published

2 months ago

March 27, 2025

grassroots

NUJ

The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.

In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.

“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.

Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.

The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.

While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.

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Family Marks one-year Memorial of Late APC Chieftain, Ojougboh with Charity Outreach

By Ikenna Oluka

Published

3 months ago

February 14, 2025

grassroots

Mrs. Bose Ojougboh, wife of the Late Dr. Cairo Ojougboh (Centre) flanked by other members of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation during the outreach programme.

The family of the late chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, led by his wife, Mrs. Bose Ojougboh, marked his one-year memorial anniversary with a series of charitable initiatives aimed at honoring his legacy of philanthropy and service to society.

The memorial activities included the donation of school books and bags to pupils of Erigbe Primary School, in Agbor within the Ika South Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State, where Dr. Ojougboh had received his early education.

The outreach also included extension of financial assistance to patients at Central Hospital, Agbor, and the provision of toiletries, cash, and food items to children at the Salve Regina Children’s Home, Agbor.

The outreach was carried out under the ‘Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation’, a family-led initiative established to immortalise him and continue his lifelong commitment to education, healthcare, and social welfare.

Speaking during the event which took place recently, Mrs. Ojougboh reaffirmed the family’s dedication to sustaining the ideals of the late APC chieftain, describing him as a man who strongly believed in education and giving back to society.

“We are here to celebrate the life of my husband, Late Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, who passed on a year ago. In his honour, we decided to give back to society. He was a man who valued education and was always willing to help others. It is only fitting that we continue his legacy through acts of generosity,” she stated.

Honouring his passion for education

The first visit was to Erigbe Primary School, where Dr. Ojougboh had received his early education. The Foundation distributed school bags, writing materials, and food packs to the pupils. The family encouraged the pupils to take their education seriously and strive to become responsible citizens.

Supporting patients at Central Hospital, Agbor

At Central Hospital, Agbor, Mrs. Ojougboh and her entourage moved through the medical wards, offering financial support to patients to assist with their treatment costs. The hospital staff and beneficiaries responded with prayers and words of gratitude for the kind gesture.

Reaching out to orphaned children

The outreach team also visited Salve Regina Children’s Home in Agbor where they donated cash, food items, and toiletries to the children.

The Matron of the home expressed her deep appreciation to the Ojougboh family, commending their commitment to sustaining the late politician’s legacy of compassion and social impact.

Dr. Cairo Ojougboh’s enduring legacy

Reflecting on her late husband’s contributions to society, Mrs. Ojougboh emphasised that his legacy of generosity and service to humanity would not be forgotten.

“Dr. Cairo was a selfless man who touched many lives. His contributions to the Nigerian political landscape, his mark in Agbor Kingdom, Delta State, and the country at large, will always be remembered. He may be gone, but his impact will continue to be felt for generations,” she said.

The Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation has pledged to continue supporting education, healthcare, and social welfare initiatives in his memory, ensuring that his vision for a better society lives on.