A human rights group, Human Rights
Restoration Movement (HRRM) has given a fourteen day notice to the transition
committee chairman in Ika North East local government area, Princess Ijenwa
Okunonke and her Ika South counterpart, Engr. Andrew Obiazi to give account of
their stewardship or face EFCC and
ICPC.
The
movement which spoke through its national chairman, and a legal practitioner,
Barrister Ifeanyi Aghaolor, at his Boji-Boji Owanta office, charged Engr. Andrew Obiazi and Princess Ijenwa
Okunonke to be ready to give account of how they spent the recent SURE-P fund
sent to their local governments and the monies the councils have received from
the federation account through the Delta State government in the next 14-days.
Barrister
Aghaolor described SURE P fund as fuel subsidy deduction which was given to the
local governments by the federal government to improve on the lives of the
people and make them economically self reliant and independent. He noted that
after a critical investigation by the movement, it discovered that the two
local government chairmen did not disburse the money to only the less
privileged and Ika indigenes but also to their “party members.”
He stressed that fuel subsidy fund is
meant for everybody in Nigeria irrespective of the political party anybody
belongs to. He added that the deductions made by the federal government via the
office of the finance minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was not deducted for PDP members alone, but
for all Nigerians, including members of the opposition political parties,
market women, student unions, civil servants, among others.
He
further stated that the movement has discovered that the chairmen excluded the
above mentioned persons as beneficiaries of the fund, which he said is unconstitutional
and unacceptable to it. He added that the movement has consulted various state
leaders in the struggle for the advancement of democracy and good governance,
and has also written to the two council chairmen demanding financial details in
respect of the money received from the federation account, state government
donations and SURE-P funds. He said, the movement has given14-days for the
council chairmen to supply the financial details and if they fail to respond to
the demands of the movement which is covered by Freedom of Information act
2011, it shall be left with no option than to invite the Economic and Financial
Crime Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and
Code of Conduct Bureau.
Speaking
further, he said that the movement is not unmindful of the various dubious
means by which the council chairmen, D.P.M. and treasurers falsify documents
for claims. He stated that documentary evidence shall speak volumes during the
investigation.
Barrister
Aghaolor also noted that since 13 years of democratic rule, the Delta State government has a Ministry of
Water Resources, that receives statutory allocation from the State and Federal
Government, yet they cannot even supply
water to government house much less Deltans.
He
urged every well meaning Nigerian to always support efforts to protect public
funds so that the country will move forward.
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