Anti-Corruption Group Demands Access To Abia Forensic Audit Report
Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy (CFR&PA), a Pro-democracy, human rights, anti-corruption and public interest advocacy group, has actually composed to Governor Alex Otti, the Secretary to Abia State federal government, Prof. Kenneth Kalu and the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ikechukwu Uwanna, requiring access to the just recently performed Abia Forensic Audit ReportCONTINUE FULL READING>>>> > > > >
In the letter signed by Ukpai Ukairo, Member, Board of Trustees, CFR&PA, the group in the letters entitled “Application for access to records under the area 1 and 3 of the Freedom of Information Act”, dated 23-04-2024 with a reception stamp/date on all letters dating 24-04-2024 made a main need to access the Abia federal government forensic audit report.
The letters check out in parts, “We respectfully look for access to the following records, to wit: A copy of the Forensic Audit Report which Governor Alex Otti, the Executive Governor of Abia State described and trust in his Town Hall Meeting in the United States of America to declare that His Excellency, Victor Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration paid billions of Naira for an airport and to un-named specialists,
“The Letter of consultation of the Audit Firm that performed the Forensic Audit as needed under the general public Procurement Act,
“The voucher/s revealing the payments made to the Audit company for its expert services,
“The extract of the minutes of Executive Council Meeting embracing the stated Forensic Audit Report.”
In the letters, the CFR&PA advised the worried workplaces to understand that by the Freedom of Information Act (FIOA), they have 7 days to launch the records as formally asked for.
“Please, allow us to advise you, that you have 7 days, under the Freedom of Information Act, to launch the above records to us. Accept the guarantees of our greatest concerns.”
Remember that Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, on Friday, April 19, 2024, at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, in the United States of America engaged audience where he declared that a forensic audit has actually exposed how his predecessor embezzled a substantial quantity of cash from the federal government account.
In his words, “Talking about corruption, I had actually established a forensic audit as quickly as I took control of workplace in Abia, in 2015 (2023 ). That there will not be any argument, I called in one of the leading 3 audit companies in the world, and not too long back, they turned in their report, and some of the things in their report are frightening.
“So, some N9.3 billion was paid to 7 professionals for agreements that were not carried out at all until today. Another N15.9 billion (N16 billion) was paid to 63 specialists without any supporting files throughout the state.
“Another N12 billion was paid to 2 professionals for agreements that do not exist, out of this figure N10 billion was on September 25, 2020, paid to a professional for the building of the Abia State Airport.
“We have actually hung around attempting to find the airport and until now have actually not had the ability to find it … So, as we continue to try to find our airport, we have actually likewise informed the security companies to assist us browse.
“When you juxtapose that with pensions that were lying overdue for about 10 years and the wage financial obligations, simply among these headings, the N10 billion that was invested to construct a non-existent airport, was precisely the quantity of cash our federal government utilized to remove the pension defaults.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>> > > > >
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