February 16, 2010
It is very unfortunate that rather than address the clear-enough allegations of fraud and siphoning of public fund belonging to Imo people, the state governor, Ikeddi Ohakim, who has come to be known as IkedinnaKoboko chose to flog the daylight out of a journalist, Ikeena Iwuoha who against all odds mustered the courage to blow the whistle in the interest of the people of the state.
articleadslinks
First, we should even thank God that the governor did not even assassinate the poor undefended journalist because that has always been the easy option of silencing people who demand accountability from their rulers especially those in government houses.
What point was the Imo governor trying to prove by flogging a journalist in his office? Has he ever heard of human rights or freedom of expression? Did it ever occur to him that the consequences of a press gang up against him can easily swallow him up even before Orji Uzo Kalu’s political machine catches up with him? Why won’t America put Nigeria on the “countries of interest” manifest with this kind of story going out to the world. Was Ohakim ever aware of what the international community would think of him and the rest of the country? This is simply disgusting
The Imo governor rather than address the issues raise may have thought that intimidation can stop concerned indigenes of the state from blowing the whistle.
For instance Ohakim was accused of perpetuating fraud in the award off the N8 billion dredging of Nworie River.
Is it not glaring to the Imo state governor, IkeddinaKoboko that there are so many absurdities in the award of the dredging contract? The contact was awarded to Ruodo Nigeria Limited in March, 2009 with expected mobilisation to the site by late April to early May, almost at the peak of the rainy season.
According to available data, about N4.5 billion representing over 50 per cent of the contract sum was paid to the company upfront as “mobilization” even before talking of moving to site and more payments have been made in the period spanning May 2009- January 2010.
Rather than attempt to explain or thrash the outcry against the fraud in the cost of the project, Ohakim came up with a funny explanation that the contract was in collaboration with the Niger Delta Development Fund. Does that explain why it should be terribly bloated and dubiously paid for from the state government fund?
Let’s even look at the technical aspect of this dredging contract: Hydrologically speaking, what is Nworie River? This so called river could best be described as a rivulet not even up to the size or strength of an active stream. As specified in the contract, the total length to be dredged is about 5 kilometer. And the contract sum, which obviously will also demand future variations (upward), is N8 billion.
The magnitude of the fraud in the contract will be better appreciated if matched with the cost implications of the federal government’s dredging of almost all the Nigerian component of the River Niger.
The federal government’s dredging of River Niger spans about 530 kilometers cutting across eight states of Niger, Kogi, Anambra, Imo, Edo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa. In addition, some navigation channels including those of Lokoja in Kogi to Makurdi in Benue to Ibbi in Taraba, and Yola in Adamawa states are to be opened up. A navigation channel is also to be opened from Baro to Jebba in Niger state to Yelwa in Kebbi state; and another from Wuya in Niger state to Kaduna. And the cost of the River Niger dredging project is N36 billion.
So going by the federal government’s costing mechanism which thoroughly followed strict due process, Ohakim’s 5 kilometer Nworie stream dredging would have cost far less than N340 million. It would have been far less this amount because the federal government’s River Niger project factored-in rural socio-economic compensations of almost all the affected major communities along the project stretch, a payment which Ohakim failed to consider in his own dredging project. On good authourity, no dim was paid as socio-economic compensation to a single affected community as the governor took them for granted.
Also, the Nworie dredging cannot in any way compare to the difficult terrain and mammoth logistics problem associated with the stretch of the River Niger to be covered.
So what was the offence of Citizen Ikenna Iwuoha in raising the alarm over the daylight defrauding of Imo people in this project?
The integrity of the man imposed on Imo people as governor was best captured by a comment in the interactive part of the Ohakim’s flogging adventure story on Saharareporters. Though I am very convinced Pini Jason of whom I highly respect did not write this comment as claimed but its good Nigerians have an idea of the character of the Imo state governor. A verbatim extract: “I am Pini Jason. I used to write fiery columns in one Nigerian newspaper but now I craft propaganda and nonsense for Ikedi Ohakim, the god of Imo State (remember Imo is in the hands of the gods).
“If you see all those funny advertorials that appear on Nigerian papers especially National Life, know that I am the person talking. Don't be deceived by those Odua Progressive Youths attacking Ohaneze youths of Abia Professionals attacking Orji Uzor kalu of Imo Professionals in Lagos. They are all me.
“Haven't you wondered why those groups always don't have any verifiable addresses but have billions to paste adverts in Nigerian dailies? I can tell you that what that Ikenna Samuelson was saying was the truth and nothing but the truth. His flogging was a warning to all those that are challenging the god-sent leadership of Ikedi Ohakim. They should better be warned!”
The issues raised in the award of the contract for the dredging of Nworie stream should interest the EFCC. The Chairman of the commission, Mrs Farida Waziri should know that we are watching to see what happens with the complaint the flogged journalist duly tendered to her office for investigation. This matter is no longer an Imo matter and as such cannot be settled in the night by the village people. We will keep reminding you madam EFCC on this case in addition to several other construction contract scam which will be discussed in subsequent articles.
articleadsbanner
IFEANYI IZEZE, is a member of “Journalists for Ikkena Iwuoha Case” ([email protected])
articleadslinks
First, we should even thank God that the governor did not even assassinate the poor undefended journalist because that has always been the easy option of silencing people who demand accountability from their rulers especially those in government houses.
What point was the Imo governor trying to prove by flogging a journalist in his office? Has he ever heard of human rights or freedom of expression? Did it ever occur to him that the consequences of a press gang up against him can easily swallow him up even before Orji Uzo Kalu’s political machine catches up with him? Why won’t America put Nigeria on the “countries of interest” manifest with this kind of story going out to the world. Was Ohakim ever aware of what the international community would think of him and the rest of the country? This is simply disgusting
The Imo governor rather than address the issues raise may have thought that intimidation can stop concerned indigenes of the state from blowing the whistle.
For instance Ohakim was accused of perpetuating fraud in the award off the N8 billion dredging of Nworie River.
Is it not glaring to the Imo state governor, IkeddinaKoboko that there are so many absurdities in the award of the dredging contract? The contact was awarded to Ruodo Nigeria Limited in March, 2009 with expected mobilisation to the site by late April to early May, almost at the peak of the rainy season.
According to available data, about N4.5 billion representing over 50 per cent of the contract sum was paid to the company upfront as “mobilization” even before talking of moving to site and more payments have been made in the period spanning May 2009- January 2010.
Rather than attempt to explain or thrash the outcry against the fraud in the cost of the project, Ohakim came up with a funny explanation that the contract was in collaboration with the Niger Delta Development Fund. Does that explain why it should be terribly bloated and dubiously paid for from the state government fund?
Let’s even look at the technical aspect of this dredging contract: Hydrologically speaking, what is Nworie River? This so called river could best be described as a rivulet not even up to the size or strength of an active stream. As specified in the contract, the total length to be dredged is about 5 kilometer. And the contract sum, which obviously will also demand future variations (upward), is N8 billion.
The magnitude of the fraud in the contract will be better appreciated if matched with the cost implications of the federal government’s dredging of almost all the Nigerian component of the River Niger.
The federal government’s dredging of River Niger spans about 530 kilometers cutting across eight states of Niger, Kogi, Anambra, Imo, Edo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa. In addition, some navigation channels including those of Lokoja in Kogi to Makurdi in Benue to Ibbi in Taraba, and Yola in Adamawa states are to be opened up. A navigation channel is also to be opened from Baro to Jebba in Niger state to Yelwa in Kebbi state; and another from Wuya in Niger state to Kaduna. And the cost of the River Niger dredging project is N36 billion.
So going by the federal government’s costing mechanism which thoroughly followed strict due process, Ohakim’s 5 kilometer Nworie stream dredging would have cost far less than N340 million. It would have been far less this amount because the federal government’s River Niger project factored-in rural socio-economic compensations of almost all the affected major communities along the project stretch, a payment which Ohakim failed to consider in his own dredging project. On good authourity, no dim was paid as socio-economic compensation to a single affected community as the governor took them for granted.
Also, the Nworie dredging cannot in any way compare to the difficult terrain and mammoth logistics problem associated with the stretch of the River Niger to be covered.
So what was the offence of Citizen Ikenna Iwuoha in raising the alarm over the daylight defrauding of Imo people in this project?
The integrity of the man imposed on Imo people as governor was best captured by a comment in the interactive part of the Ohakim’s flogging adventure story on Saharareporters. Though I am very convinced Pini Jason of whom I highly respect did not write this comment as claimed but its good Nigerians have an idea of the character of the Imo state governor. A verbatim extract: “I am Pini Jason. I used to write fiery columns in one Nigerian newspaper but now I craft propaganda and nonsense for Ikedi Ohakim, the god of Imo State (remember Imo is in the hands of the gods).
“If you see all those funny advertorials that appear on Nigerian papers especially National Life, know that I am the person talking. Don't be deceived by those Odua Progressive Youths attacking Ohaneze youths of Abia Professionals attacking Orji Uzor kalu of Imo Professionals in Lagos. They are all me.
“Haven't you wondered why those groups always don't have any verifiable addresses but have billions to paste adverts in Nigerian dailies? I can tell you that what that Ikenna Samuelson was saying was the truth and nothing but the truth. His flogging was a warning to all those that are challenging the god-sent leadership of Ikedi Ohakim. They should better be warned!”
The issues raised in the award of the contract for the dredging of Nworie stream should interest the EFCC. The Chairman of the commission, Mrs Farida Waziri should know that we are watching to see what happens with the complaint the flogged journalist duly tendered to her office for investigation. This matter is no longer an Imo matter and as such cannot be settled in the night by the village people. We will keep reminding you madam EFCC on this case in addition to several other construction contract scam which will be discussed in subsequent articles.
articleadsbanner
IFEANYI IZEZE, is a member of “Journalists for Ikkena Iwuoha Case” ([email protected])
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });