Stakeholders in Ebonyi state called on the state governor, Francis Nwifuru, to facilitate the sack of Ebonyi’s current Secretary to the State Government, Prof Grace Umezurike, over an alleged diversion of N1 billion from state coffers.
The President of the Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio-Cultural in the Diaspora, Pascal Oluchukwu, made the demand on Tuesday in a signed statement. The call by the stakeholders follows a court order granting interim forfeiture of the alleged N1 billion diverted by the SSG.
Justice Maurine Onyetenu of the Federal High Court filed the interim forfeiture order as far back as July 8, following an ex parte order by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The SSG Umezuruike and her aide, Ngene Onyeabor, were first and second respondents in the order.
Alleged N1 Billion diversion into Six Accounts
The EFCC, in its findings, claimed that the Ebonyi SSG and her aide diverted over N1 billion earmarked for the purchase of rice into six different accounts, all lodged in the United Bank of Africa.
The funds were initially proposed to purchase rice for Ebonyi state indigenes for the 2024 Christmas celebrations. The Ebonyi state governor, reacting to the development on Sunday, said his administration is not in a hurry to prosecute the accused SSG and will only act in the light of concrete evidence.
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The Governor’s reaction to the case drew a backlash from the AEISCID president, who described the comments from the Governor as shameful, urging the Governor to sack the SSG within the next 48 hours.
“We are thoroughly ashamed of the disposition of the state government towards this grave allegation that has very severe and negative consequences for the State and Ebonyi people, home and in the diaspora.” Oluchukwu said.
What else does the Governor, who claims to be a lawyer, need to understand that once a prima facie case has been established, leading to the freezing of the said accounts for a forfeiture of the diverted funds, the SSG should have been asked to step aside immediately?
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The group argued that sacking the SSG is a common ethical and standard practice that is well supported by the principles of transparency, accountability, and probity in governance, ensuring that all allegations are substantiated without hindrance.
The Diasporan group tasked the EFCC to widen its net to accommodate government contractors who allegedly siphoned money in the state for the past two and eight years.
