By Eric Dwyse Ikwuagwu
I watched in shock as Otti's government circulated a video of what should be a family village meeting and never Executive Council meeting of the state.
How on earth would a state government continue holding its EXCO in the confines of a private residence almost a year after it took over reins of power?. For a Governor that promised Abians heaven on earth? It is shocking and embarrassing.
I do not wish to discuss the composure of those captured on camera as some of the faces walking into the meeting venue subtly betrayed certain level of perturbation cloaked behind those forced smiles for the camera; but my wish is to discuss the propriety or otherwise of hosting a state Executive Council meeting in someone's private residence.
State Exco meeting?, were they going to take instructions or have a robust debate on issues of the state??? Could any of those with such toothy smile appear to discerning minds as courageous enough to disagree or just "oh yes"!! boys and girls???. The quality of their Exco resolution will aptly answer the posers.
What is a Government House?
Defintion: "The OFFICIAL residence of a governor, especially in a colony or Commonwealth state that regards the British monarch as head of state."
Therefore, would Mr. Otti's private residence at Umuehim, Nvosi be said to be OFFICIAL residence of the Governor as depicted by the definition? Was Nvosi ever designated as a Government House? The answer is NO.
Mr. Otti said he was in government to cut cost of governance but from his own administration's budget performance report from Q3 and Q4 of 2023 and Q1 of 2024, it has taken Abia a whopping N57.8Million every day "chi boro" to run/service Mr. Otti's office located at his private residence.
According to the Q1 budget report of 2024, which Otti's government published on its official website, on annual bugets @ (http: abiastate.gov.ng/ annual-budgets/); there were so many expenditures running into hundreds of millions purported to have been spent on Governor's office which Invariably means those millions were spent on Otti's private residence needs. Could they separate the cost of buying diesel or groceries for the family use from official government use?. Could that be why the quarterly financial report show millions and millions wasted on government house feeding?.
Dr. Reuben Abati once called Abians gluttonous 😆 🤣 😂 😹 because of what Nvosi office consumes while the rest of us starve. Civil servants still battling with pre- 2019 salary structure and no kobo added to them as wage award like other states.
SHOCKING GOVERNOR'S OFFICE EXPENSES!!*
■ Construction of Office Buildings - ₦3.8bn
■ Construction of ICT Infrastructure - ₦2.5bn
■ Construction of Infrastructure - ₦843m
■ Government House Restaurant - ₦899m
■ Governor's Office Medical Equipment - ₦773m
■ Governor's Office Media Station - ₦638m
■ Governor's Vehicles - ₦2.8bn
■ Governor's Office Office Furniture - ₦134m
■ Governor's Office IT Equipment & Stationeries - ₦359m
■ Governor's office Generators ₦147m
■ Social Welfare Activities ₦486m
■ Governor's Office Industrial Equipment ₦119.4m
*ABIA HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS: The above expenditures were ordinarily supposed to be carried out in the OFFICIAL Government House, where the Governor's office ought to be located not in someone's private home.
Abia elders are all looking the other way while the state is run like a limited liability company. Mr. Otti only won the governorship but didn't conquer Abia.
The Abia elders particularly those from Umuahia watch helplessly and even most of them support the anomaly while Umuahia is stripped of its status as the State capital. The implication is that hotel and hospitality business around Umuahia is suffering as visitors will find aba closer to Nvosi. Rather than Umuahia, petty businesses are springing around Otti's residence in nvosi.
Does Mr. Otti even understand that holding Executive Council meetings, Security council meetings, receiving of foreign and diplomatic guest on official capacity in his village is by every known law, an illegality? Does he not have seasoned bureaucrats to advise him? Or are we all expected to shut-up as a conquered people?. I am lost for any logical explanation to this official anomaly.
FACT: It is unconstitutional to operate and run official affairs of government outside the officially designated "Government House". By virtue of every known law in that regard; all Executive orders, policy decisions etc taken outside 'Umuahia government House' can be challenged and rendered null and void before the court.
HIGH COST OF GOVERNANCE: With all the funds being claimed on daily bases in running government house at Nvosi, Mr. Otti should know that the narrative of operating from his village to save cost falls flat on its face as Dr. Ikpeazu during his time used less than N200k daily to service his own office as against the N57.8Million daily being claimed today by Otti under 9 months as Governor outside Umuahia, government house.
Chief T. A Orji a seasoned administration, who is from Umuahia and resided therein, understood clearly the distraction in operating from home; thus, he lived and operated from the Umuahia government House during his time as Governor, despite the proximity to his native village home. He understands the unavoidable clash in purchasing items for his family's use and that of official use must be separated to reduce cost and burden on Abia tax payers but does mr. Otti care? Why are we spending so much to run Governor's office from Nvosi?. God have mercy. All the hotels and businesses that sprang up because Senator T.A Orji operated 100% from Umuahia Government House are today, on the brink of collapse as patronage from government contractors and visitors have moved to Nvosi.
Keeping it honest...
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