Hon. Ichita Challenges Ikpeazu To Account For World Bank $800m Conditional Cash Transfer Initiative

Member of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Obinna Ichita, has said the state government under Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu must account for $800million it received from the World Bank to share to the people under Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) initiative.

The representative of Aba south state constituency said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Umuahia, the state capital, yesterday, in reaction to an order of a state high court restraining him from inquiring into how the government appropriated the money and another $56 million for the reconstruction of four major roads in Aba.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) member and leader of the opposition party in the state said the government had denied receiving both funds just as he had forwarded evidence of their receipt to the court.

His words, “We have forwarded our list of witnesses which include staff of Debt Management Office, senior federal government officials and agencies concerned and management staff of the bank that documented the loan transaction.”

The leader noted that since he filed his statement of defence with the list of witnesses, the government, its agents and lawyers have refused to appear in court. “The matter was supposed to have come up on Friday 11 March 2022.”

He said the matter was instituted by the commissioner for youths, Mr Charles Onyedikachi, and the coordinator of Nigeria Erosion Watershed Management Project, Mr Izuchukwu Onwughara, adding that it had been adjourned to April 1.

“We are monitoring the road projects as well as the movement of the funds. We shall also continue to apply pressure on the government to ensure that those in the constituency do not suffer the fate of Faulks road,” he added