Ebonyi N53bn debt incurred on needless projects —Ex-SSG

Published

September 16, 2018

CLEMENT NNACHI

The immediate past Secretary to the Ebonyi State Government, Prof. Bernard Odoh, who resigned his appointment in controversial circumstances in April, has said projects being executed by Governor David Umahi are not meant to benefit the suffering masses in the state.

Odoh, in an interview with our correspondent on Friday, said he left the government following the alleged mass outcry against Umahi’s policies and programmes despite the N53bn debt allegedly owed various contractors in the last three years.

He said, “I resigned because our policies and projects are not tailored towards reducing poverty and improving governance in the system. Our projects are not in our first 10 priorities.

“For instance, we have three overhead bridges along a distance of less than 12 kilometres despite the fact that there was no river in those places. We didn’t do traffic volume calculators to validate the need for those bridges.

“I am sure that by the time those bridges are completed, the state government would have spent more than N11bn on them. As far as I am concerned, those are not priority needs of our people.

“If you take N11bn and invest in quality education, we will move Ebonyi from where we are now. Currently, the state sits over a N53bn debt as a result of spending on needless projects.”

Odoh added that the investment in massive concrete structures that were not adding real value to the system would further impoverish the masses.

He said, “The state government will spend about N4bn to complete the Ebonyi City Mall, whereas the construction of a mall should not be a public sector driven initiative; it should be a private sector affair.

“Presently, the state government is building malls in Ebonyi with public funds; that is wrong. The state government is building the ecumenical centre that will cost about N7bn.

“There are lots of projects going on now which I think have no direct impact on the economic well-being of the people.”

The former SSG advised the governor against executing the projects.

“A lot of these issues that border on policy and governance are things that made me very uncomfortable and I felt I can’t be in a system where we are not focusing on the human aspect of our system. That’s why I left,” he added.

Attempts to speak with the Commissioner for Information, Senator Emmanuel Onwe on the issue failed on Saturday as he did not respond to a text message sent to his mobile.

 https://punchng.com/ebonyi-n53bn-debt-incurred-on-needless-projects-ex-ssg/

More money into your bank account.

Poverty and Hunger are the best form of hynnosis

In 2015 I campaign for buhari because I believed he was the one to save Nigeria

But 4 years down the line he hasn't done anything, our economy is worse off, companies are struggling people are.loosimg.theit jobs and yet this is the person some youths come here to campaign for?

I just don't understand it, bit when you understand how hypnosis through imposed humher and poverty work you will understand why some youths are campaigning for.buhari

Imptovish the people suffer them, make them starve then offer them a cup of garri and watch them sing your praise this is what APC and buhari are doing


How does one simply justify telling people.to vote for buhari ? He is unexplainably incompetent and.unintelligent

He cannot even register an email address for himself talkless of carrying out a Google search for anything and this is the person you want poeoe to vote for as a president? In 2019? In the 21st century?

This can only happen in Nigeria no where else in the world .
What amazes me is when you speak out against buhari they label you ipob, a south easterner , a lazy youth and full of hatred.

How does one explain campaigning for buhari except one is indeed full of hatred for truth and Nigeria ?

What is the one thing buhsti has done that has earned him 4 more years ? Is it.fighting corruption? Corruption has been at unimagined.levels under buhari !
APac loyal.politicians who have looted the country are safe from persecution!

We have seen grass cut at amounts never before , we have seen billions budgeted for the ASO Rock clinic yet buhari trvaels abroad for presidential care.

We have seen evidence against even the efcc boss and buharis close associates yet nothing happens

What has buhari done ? Is it Jon's? Never before has so many jobs been lost in Nigeria ! Everyone on nairaland knows a relative or friend.who post their job during this buharis government yet youths here tell us to vote for buhari ?

Is it fuel.prices which he increased from N87 per litre to N145? Telling is it was to pay subsidy which turned out to be a lie?

Or is it the dollar he floated so his tribes persons who.engage in forex trading at the parallel markets can reap.huge profits ? He cut free access to.dollsrs by SMEs and yet grants these Alhajis who.own.burea de change dallors at government rates

Who is fooing who?

Buhari said Nigeria's debt was too high today it is highest in the history of this nation.

So tell.me what has buhari done to earn a second term?

It defies logic when you don't know about using poverty and hunger to control the people.

What amazes me is that you see good candidates who can actually do better and yet you see yours abusing them all in support of Buhari ?

Why?

Is it education that has improved under buhari? Are these youths paying less 8n school fees? No they pay even.more!

Is housing cheaper under buhari ? No imfsct rents has imcreased across the nation.amf when you ask your landlords they tell you buharis government had made cement.more expensive and things harder !

Is it food that is cheaper ? No it's way more expensive now than 8n the last 16 years !

And.you see youths tell you that the treasury was looted that is why? This is so.wromg ! Where are the so called imprvekemts in agriculture? Where are the much popularized locally farmers rice APC lflooded the media with 3 years ago? Does it take 4 years for rice to harvest ?

They will claim the government is exporting the rice to gain follsrs , which is another lie

Infact all you get from APC and buhari supporters are lies , propaganda and unverified stories

I weep.for the youth of this country indeed for hunger and poverty is being used by the politicians to control them and they don't know it