From Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki
Fresh facts have emerged in the ongoing investigation by the Ebonyi state Public Complaints and Anti Graft Commission in the sharp practice of former Director General, Ebonyi Fertilizer Company, Professor Ogbonnaya Chukwu who was accused of looting yet to be established amount of money while in office.
However, the Commission headed by Rt Hon Sabinus Nwankwegu while interacting with newsmen at the Cabinet office,old Government House Abakaliki revealed that the Commission is poised to bring sanity in the society.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the accused Prof Chukwu’s response of prove of evidence demanded by the Commission to ease their findings and appealed for cooperation as nobody would be hoodwinked in the course of their investigation.
“Professor Ogbonnaya Chukwu by our investigation, we discovered that Gimadame which he’s the sole proprietor made withdrawal from the Ebonyi Fertilizer Company’s account to the sum of 74,460,000(seventy four million and four hundred and sixty thousand naira.
“Gimadame is said to be the one having deals in terms of supplies with the company which prof. answered the best way he can and he was today asked to bring an evidence backing his answers, but he said the Commission can go to the fertilizer company to get the evidence and we are not satisfied with the response because it’s not our duty to go and get the evidence, rather, he should be the one to provide these evidences.
He added, “In the course of looking at the handover note from Emerald to Prof Chukwu, the total amount handed over by the former DG was, Two hundred and one million, three hundred and eighty eight thousand naira which was in the bank and when we look into the handover note presented to the now serving Accountant by Prof Chukwu, it has in it, the total of Twenty four million, Six hundred and seventy two thousand and five hundred and thirty naira, twenty two kobo(24,672,530.26k) and material worth about 3,0008,000.
“All these things happen between January, 2021 and May, 2023 when the last administration left office. Then, to our greatest surprise, some people were owing the company but until Prof Chukwu left office, no plan was made to recover these money.
According to the Chairman, “Those owing the company are: Agric Development Company, ADC-1,000,000,(One million naira), Sonic Agro Limited-260,000,(Two hundred and sixty thousand naira), Hon Ilang Elijah-2,316,000(Two million, and three hundred and sixteen thousand naira), Mrs Emerald Ude Akaji-225,000(Two hundred and twenty five thousand naira), Mr Pius Eze-1,0745(One million seven hundred and forty five naira) and Ebere West Farm-5,500,000(Five million and five hundred thousand naira).
“In our investigation, we have invited Mrs Emerald who said she’s not owing the company. She explained to us that she worked there and handed over to the successor the sum of two hundred and one million,three hundred and eighty eight thousand naira and twenty Kobo (201,388,020.20k) and material worth of 3,007,000 and that there’s no way she would be owing the company and nobody has written to her but Prof Chukwu told us that he saw the debt in audit report.
The Commission however called on the general public to report any information that undermine the rules of engagement as they are poised to bring sanity in the society.
“We are not leaving any stone unturned until we recover all the missing money. I have directed that the Commissioner in-charge of Anti-Corruption should write to those owing the company to appear in our next meeting.
“We are calling on the public to report to us anybody or group given contract and such person or contractor failed to execute it or cut corner in delivering the job, such should be reported to us.
“This is a commission with credible lawyers, accountants, Doctors of repute and we are poised to rewrite the wrongs”.he further emphasized
