The Dr. Alex Otti’s representatives in the Abia Government’s Handover Committee says, the Abia State Government is not cooperating with them on the handover process.
The Leader of Dr Alex Otti’s representatives in that Abia Government’s Handover Committee, Rev. Fr. Christian Anokwuru disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Umuahia Thursday, while fielding questions on how far the committee has gone in its handover assignment, come May 29, 2023.
Anokwuru disclosed that the snag in the committee’s work was the delay by the government to avail Otti with the handover documents to enable him to study them before May 29.
“It is expected that the outgoing administration ought to avail the governor-elect with the handover documents early enough to enable him to study the content before May 29.
“The administration has only few weeks in office so by now the handover documents, covering the government’s activities from 2015 to April 2023, ought to have been ready.
“Unfortunately, the government committee appears to be more preoccupied with preparations for the swearing in ceremony rather than the documents. If the government insists that the handover documents would only be made available on May 29, it means the governor-elect has to take another period of time to study them.
“This is the only factor that will likely impede or slow down the pace with which the governor-elect had prepared to take off. For us from the governor-elect, we are not getting the maximum cooperation we were promised by the government”, he said.
He stated that the present stance of the State Government was at variance with the inaugural speech by Deputy Governor Oko Chukwu who had promised that the state government would avail the incoming government all it needs, including documents, to enable it to take off smoothly, stating, “We are asking to be exposed to the documents, inventories from inception of this government to at least, the month of April.
“Whatever they have from end of April to May 29 could be captured in Otti’s footnote or addendum. I want to say that it has not been smooth and easy for us who were nominated by the governor-elect to interface with the government team,” Anokwuru said.
On the allegations of looting of government properties by top functionaries in the twilight of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration, Fr. Anokwuru said that “it is unthinkable and hard to believe that government can look away and watch its properties being looted”, stating that government’s failure to either deny, condemn or warn against the alleged criminal act seemed to reinforce the allegation.
“The allegation causes some concern because government seems to be silent about it and no official statement made countering it. But I wouldn’t want to believe that government can allow such to happen, I want to believe that it is a rumour. I know there are entitlements, like consumables, such as cars, which top official go home with but carting away fixed items and government properties is a crime and unacceptable.
“The Permanent Secretaries and Directors should know that it is their responsibility to protect the properties because these commissioners and aides to the governor are government appointees, who are also leaving on May 29.
“So, failure of heads of these MDAs to act means they will be held responsible to give account of their inventories,” Anokwuru said and decried the alleged employment racketeering currently going on in MDAs, while expressing his worries on why an outgoing administration that was finding it difficult to pay salaries due to lean resources would be employing workers in its last days in office.
“This is sheer wickedness, insensitivity and deliberate intention to place a burden against the governor-elect, who has assured the people that he will not lay off workers. We are telling the government to desist from taking such actions, what is happening is a red alert.I think they are capitalising on Otti’s early statement that he is not going to sack workers” Anokwuru said and called for “caution and the need to apply morality”.
The Abia State governor-elect, Dr. Alex Otti, Anokwuru said is mentally and psychologically prepared to hit the ground running from May 29, stating, “From the body language of Dr Alex Otti, it is clear that he is ready for governance. Immediately he is sworn in, all appointments will begin to take place without unnecessary delay.”
Anokwuru expressed the confidence that all appointments would be made based on merit, competence, integrity, fairness and equity.
The cleric is leading eight members nominated by Otti to work with the State Government’s Handover Committee, headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Chris Ezem.
