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Dr. Alex Otti, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State has accused the state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, of squandering state funds and facilitating the collapse of critical institutions in the state.
Dr. Otti, in a press statement on Monday, claimed that Faulks Road, which leads to the Ariaria International market and which was constructed by the current administration in the state at the cost of N6.8 billion, has collapsed and is now impassable.
A former governorship aspirant, Dr. Otti also observed that the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) and the Abia State Polytechnic Aba– all set up by previous administrations– are currently looking like “painted sepulcher because the present administration has refused to prioritize them.”
The statement, which was signed by Ferdinand Ekeoma, his media aide, expressed concern that all critical institutions in the state were suffering from government neglect.
He said, “A cursory look at Umuahia would show no signs of development as it has literally remained a glorified village. Aba, the former heartbeat of Igbo land, is now wearing a more notorious look as the headquarters of refuse dump, because you chose to hand over the critical task of refuse management to unskilled and unpatriotic allies who do not know that legitimate profits are more achievable when projects are effectively executed than when outright theft is being committed against an institution.
“Most of the roads remain impassable owing to dilapidation and decay. For instance, one of the most important roads, Faulks Road which leads to the Ariaria International market constructed by your government at the very high cost of N6.8 billion has collapsed and is now impassable. So, with very limited infrastructure and years of salary arrears unpaid, one wonders where Abia money is going.”
The APC chieftain also accused the Ikpeazu administration of not prioritizing the welfare of the people, stressing that pensioners and civil servants were owed months of arrears in spite of huge allocations to the state.
The financial expert appealed to governor Ikpeazu to pay salaries and pensions, and also initiate a sanitization process to restore the dignity of the affected institutions.
The statement stated further that: “Mr. Governor, I’m compelled once again to make this passionate appeal to you because of the frightening dimension at which key Abia government institutions are getting grounded, and your obvious lack of concern and willingness to take decisive measures to tackle the situation. I am also deeply worried about the state of Abia workers and pensioners who you are owing several years of salary and pension arrears.
“While almost all our critical institutions like Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Abia State University Uturu(ABSU), Abia State Polytechnic, School of Health Technology, Abia State College Of Education Technical, Arochukwu (ASCETA), and others are being owed several months of salary arrears for which I had spoken out and appealed to you on many occasions in the past, I would however specifically call your attention this time around to the case of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) Aba, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, and Abia Pensioners respectively.”
