The Abia State Governorship Candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Greg Ibe, has exhorted Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu against going for a new bank loan.
This was following Ikpeazu’s vow of N450 million intercession to re-authorize the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba which was de-certify by National Board for Technical Education over non-installment of more than 30 months pay rates.
Prof. Ibe, who talked on the supposed unobtrusive arrangement by the State Government to get N450 million to rescue the Polytechnic, depicted the move as “digging a hole to fill a hole”.
Prof. Ibe pronounced as off-base for the State Government to fall back on new advance when as a matter of fact, it could rescue the organization from its portion of the league distribution.
He blamed the State Government for involving the move as a cover to get more cash for “unclear purposes after Abia stakeholders blocked an earlier move to borrow N60 billion”.
He questioned, “Why borrow N450 million when Government can actually bail out the institution if it is sincere?
“Why plunge the state into further debt? Abia already has almost N100 billion debt hanging on its neck. How will the school operate if their debt servicing will take all the revenue collected from School fees?”.
He also added, “The state keeps receiving allocations from the Federal Government every month and Abians want to know how the funds are spent”.
““If two aides of the Governor can be paid up to N25 million monthly for his media person who is totally redundant and almost a radio station owner, why can’t the State bail out Abia Poly?
“ABSUTH has lost accreditation to admit medical students because the doctors have been on strike for non payment of their salaries for over two years. ABSU lecturers are complaining of salary arrears of over nine months. Where is Abia money going?”
In any case, the state Commissioner of Information, Eze Chikamnayo exposed that no Governor’s Aides are being paid N25 million month to month, excusing the charge as unwarranted.
“There is no such thing. It’s only a figment of the imagination of the peddlers. I advise Abians to be weary of those propagating such lies”, he reported while rejecting that the State Government was getting any bank credit.
He also explained that the order for Abia Polytechnic to work single depository account was essential for the actions to control sharp practices and enthrone straightforwardness, adding ““The directive was to open a single treasury account and ensure all inflow go into one account for transparency and accountability.
“It’s a control measure to enable all stakeholders know what comes in and goes out. There is no way we will allow them to have 20 or 30 accounts because those multiplicity of accounts lead to sharp practices.
“The State Government does not interfere in the internal affairs of the institution.
“Abia Poly is a semi-autonomous entity. Abia Government doesn’t interference in its internal affairs. If the Management decides to go for a loan, will it be in Government’s name?”
He expressed the vast majority of those scrutinizing the Government were one-sided and individuals from the resistance. Those making those charges are for the most part individuals from the APC that has acquired and over-acquired until even their own National Assembly is attempting to put a wedge on their getting binge.
“If they can’t question the Federal Government that has gone haywire with borrowing, what morality do they have to come and start looking for what?”
In any case, there are hypotheses that Abia’s obligation has now ascended to over N90 billion however as at the hour of recording this report, Abia’s ongoing obligation profile isn’t in plain view on the rundown of vigorously obligated states.
