INVESTIGATION: How Ebonyi gave N400 million COVID-19 funds to officials to build houses

The amount was approved and appropriated by the Ebonyi State House of Assembly in August 2020 as part of the state’s COVID-19 expenditure in the 2020 Revised Budget.
ByKabir Yusuf June 15, 2022 3 min read
The Ebonyi State Government paid N400 million of its COVID-19 funds to public officials for personal estate development in breach of its law and international guidelines, a PREMIUM TIMES review of an audit report shows.

The money was among those appropriated by the Ebonyi State House of Assembly in August 2020 for the state’s COVID-19 expenditure in the 2020 Revised Budget.

According to records obtained from the ‘Ebonyi State Government Audited COVID-19 Monthly Budget Execution Report’, the funds were, however, paid to the officials of the executive, judiciary, and legislative arms of government.

The misuse of funds in Ebonyi reinforces fears in the anti-corruption and development circle about limited accountability in the use of COVID-19 response funds by governments.

Transaction details
Details of the financial transaction show that the money was paid to public officials either to start the development of their lands or to build houses.

About 50 per cent or N200 million of the funds, were paid as COVID-19 ‘soft loans’ to public office holders in the executive arm of government to ‘start development of their lands.’

Members of the legislative arm of government were given N100 million as COVID-19 ‘soft loan’ to start the development of their houses.

Public office holders of the judiciary arm of government also received their share, N100 million, to ‘start developing their houses,’ according to the audit report.

Records of financial transactions of the Ebonyi State Government for August 2020 show that all payments were approved 100 per cent.

Source of Funds
Ebonyi is governed by David Umahi who recently lost his presidential bid at the primary of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC.

Despite the audit report, Mr Umahi’s government says it did no wrong with the transactions.

The Ebonyi State Accountant-General, Carlton Nwankwo, under whose office the payments were authorised, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that a large part of the budgeted receipts is the “state government funds that were set aside for Covid-19 management and Covid-19 recovery.”

He, however, said the housing loan to public office holders was not released from contributions or COVID-19 grants. Rather, the funds were from the coffers of the Ebonyi State Government, he said.
Source https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/537034-investigation-how-ebonyi-gave-n400-million-covid-19-funds-to-officials-to-build-houses.html

Dave was already an EFCC customer even b4 he became governor, so no surprises here.

I don't think these people ( Nigerian politicians ) will make heaven ?

We need a changer of Individual and Party..

We need the stingy Man in our lives now..

Greedy Dave, you won't even make it to the senate.

OgwuEgo:
Greedy Dave, you won't even make it to the senate.

Him go fail,I'm sure of that

since suffering knows no tribe or religion, since we're suffering together irrespective of our tribe and religion, it's also fair if we get it right together by sending thieves and those who thinks they can rape Nigeria TURN by TURN.
Enough is Enough!!!