We are not witch-hunting any body, says Judicial Panel of inquiry on the recovery of Abia government properties

Steve Unegbu, Umuahia

The Judicial Panel of Inquiry on the Recovery of Government Properties and Funds belonging to Abia State Government has  appealed  to  members of the public to come forward with petitions and memoranda to assist the panel perform its duty successfully.

She said the Terms  of Reference of the panel  include,to receive and examine complaints and memoranda from individuals and corporate  entities on the looting and / or conversion of government properties, funds and related matters from May 2015 to May ,2023 , and where necessary make recommendations to the Governor for remedial measures or any other measures as appropriate,to examine and ascertain whether government’s  moveable and  immoveable assets and funds or part of it have been illegally acquired or occupied or converted to private use from May 2015 to May 2023  and identify the persons responsible and further make recommendations for recovery  and appropriate sanctions,to  ascertain the extent of allocation  and revocation  of land  in Abia State from May 2015 to May, 2023 and determine the propriety of such allocation and revocation.

Others are, review the award and execution of contracts from May ,2015 to May 2023 and ascertain if they were in conformity with the extant laws,to review employment, promotions, appointments payment in respect of the employments, appointments and termination of the employments and appointment from May 2015 to May ,2023 and to ascertain if they were in conformity with extant laws and to  investigate any other matter incidental or related to the foregoing Terms of Reference and make recommendations to the government based on their findings.

Justice Duruoha-Igwe pointed out that their task is both investigatory and advisory,adding  that the panel though quasi -judicial in nature,is not a Court .

Justice Duroha-Igwe  said  that,” We are not here to witch-hunt any body.Nobody is on trial; rather we are here to find out what really happened to the funds and properties of Abia State between May,2015 to May,2023 and when we do,we shall lay it open and make credible recommendations to the Governor.
Pursuant to our investigative role,we shall proffer advise to the Governor” she said

She also disclosed that the panel shall exercise all the powers with regard to obtaining evidence and conduct of the proceedings as provided by section 8 of the commission of Inquiry Law vol.1,Cap 69,Law of Abia State of Nigeria,2005. She also said that  this  includes the power to  summon  any person in Nigeria to attend any sitting of the Panel to give evidence or produce any document or other thing in their possession as well as to examine them as a witness or require them  to produce any document or other thing in their possession.

In his speech, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Ikechukwu Uwanna said Abia has witnessed a lot of unprecedented  looting and noted that it is only by addressing these issues that the State would begin to make progress.

He said,” The panel is important because a lot of citizens of Abia State have been yearning for the assignment.  He called on the public to be bold enough  to provide necessary information to enable the panel succeed and thanked the members of the panel for accepting to do the job.

In his reactions, the Chairman , Nigeria Bar Association, Umuahia, Barr. Jasper Ejimofor appealed to the Governor to review the terms of reference of the panel to extend to 2003, so as to accommodate all the alleged ills meted against the State government in form of looting of government properties since the year in question.

He expressed appreciation to  Governor Otti for setting up the panel of inquiry.

It could be recalled that the members of the judicial panel of Inquiry are Hon.Justice Florence I . Duroha-Igwe (Rtd) as chairman, Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, Prof.Ogwo Ekeoma Ogwo, Rev.Barr. Alex Okonkwo, Dr Chukwuemeka Chinyere Okwuonu and Engr.(Mrs) Justina Oluchi Eboh