- The concluding series
Just as we earlier posited in previous expositions, the ‘Constituency fund’ actually evolved as a form of government funding which is appropriated by the legislature and anchored to ensure equitable distribution of public goods through constituency-based projects such as the provision of boreholes and public health services, renovations of roads and parking facilities, lighting of public spaces and roadways, etc.
This exposition has shown us that allowing Lawmakers the power to execute projects in the name of ‘constituency projects’ has proven to be the biggest way of encouraging corruption in Nigeria. We say this because the role of Lawmakers is to make laws and carry out oversight functions by ensuring that projects ‘budgeted’ for are well ‘executed’ and not be allowed to dabble into project execution because that is the role of the Executive. The absence of that separation of power mechanism in Nigeria to allow for checks and balances has given the likes of Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi and his cohorts the opportunity to milk public funds dry at the expense of the constituents whom they are morally bound to be accountable to. This report would simply inform the people of Imo East Senatorial zone that all that glitters are not, and can never be gold.
Read Also: Senator Onyewuchi’s Colossal Failure From 2011 – 2021 (III)
Like we have always been doing, we would simply appraise Senator Onyewuchi Ezenwa using his ‘Scorecard’ just to allow the reader to understand why we simply believe that the white bearded businessman thus had failed abysmally as a Lawmaker. We would be putting his claims in brackets while stating the true position of things based on our On-the-spot investigations. Enjoy the ride!
(PROJECTS):
(Ongoing construction of Obodo Ahiara-Obodo Ujichi – Akabo – Ogwuama link road in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA of Imo State).
Our findings: – Only drainages have been completed as the road is still in bad shape.
- The contractor was nowhere to be found.
- The project appears abandoned.
(Construction of Youth Hall at Tetlow Road, Owerri Municipal LGA of Imo State). – Awarded at 16,000,000.00, project sum outrageously inflated.
(Construction of Youth Hall in Umuorisha Emii Ancient Kingdom in Owerri North LGA of Imo State). – Awarded at 16,000,000.00, project sum outrageously inflated going by what was met on ground.
(Construction of Youth Hall in Nkwo Ononuyo Market Square, Umuoma Nekede in Owerri West LGA of Imo State). – Awarded at 16,000,000.00, project sum outrageously inflated going by what was met on ground.
Our findings:
(Construction of Skills Acquisition Centre at All Saints Cathedral, Egbu Owerri North LGA of Imo State).
- Under lock and key.
- Currently not in use.
(Construction of Modern market with Abattoir at Eke ukwu Nnorie Market in Ngor Okpala LGA of Imo State).
(Construction of Modern market with Abbaittoir at Ahia ORIE Amumara, Adakam Amumara in Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA of Imo State)
(Construction of Modern market with Abbaittoir at Afor Ajala Market in Aboh Mbaise LGA of Imo State).
(Construction of Modern market with Abbaittoir at Nkwo Obohia in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA of Imo State).
(Construction of Modern market with Abbaittoir at Afor Obazu Market in Obazu Mbieri of Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State).
(Construction of Modern market with borehole at Eke Atta Market, Atta in Ikeduru LGA of Imo State).
Our findings: – Most of the contracts to construct the ‘Modern Markets with abattoir were awarded to SIMDI WEST AFRICA LIMITED. Based on our findings, the company is owned by Senator Onyewuchi and operated by proxy, it is not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
- There is nothing ‘Modern’ about the markets.
- The contracts were awarded at 15,000,000.00 by the national productivity center which is domiciled in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
- The project sum was outrageously inflated.
(Ongoing construction and equipping of modern ICT Centre at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Orji in Owerri North LGA of Imo State). Still ongoing.
(Ongoing construction and equipping of modern ICT Centre at Anglican Church Umuguma, Owerri West LGA of Imo State). Still ongoing.
(Ongoing construction and equipping of modern ICT Centre at Government Secondary School, Owerri in Owerri Municipal LGA of Imo State). Still ongoing.
(Rehabilitation of Solar powered bore hole constructed by the Distinguished Senator at Relief Market, Owerri Municipal LGA of Imo State). Nothing was rehabilitated, Old borehole no longer in use.
(Rehabilitation of Solar powered bore hole constructed by the Distinguished Senator at Timber Market, Naze Owerri North LGA of Imo State). Completed.
(Rehabilitation of Solar powered bore hole constructed by the Distinguished Senator at Amakohia/Akwakuma Market Square, Owerri North LGA of Imo State). No such rehabilitation took place.
(Rehabilitation of Solar Powered bore hole constructed by the Distinguished Senator at Ihiagwa Market in Owerri West LGA of Imo State). – No longer functioning.
(Rehabilitation of Solar Powered bore hole constructed by the Distinguished Senator at Orji Youth in Owerri North LGA of Imo State). No form of rehabilitation was carried out at the borehole.
(Supply of brand new 500KVA transformer to Amawuihe Autonomous community in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State).
(Supply of brand new 500KVA transformer to the Umunna Mbaise Mutual Aid Association at Bishop Court, Owerri).
(Supply of brand new 500KVA transformer to Amaruru Village in Iho Dimeze, Ikeduru LGA of Imo State)
(Supply of brand new 500KVA transformer to Umulolo community of Ogbe Ahiara in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA of Imo State).
(Supply of brand new 500KVA transformer to Uzommiri layout in Amafor Imerienwe Autonomous community in Ngor Okpala LGA of Imo State).
Our findings: – The supply of the 500KVA transformers were awarded at the sum of 32,000,000.00.
- The costs were outrageously inflated.
In conclusion, none of Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi’s so-called ’empowerments’ could be verified by us. Simply put, they were only existent on paper. All the noise made by Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi about his numerous Capacity Building and Empowerment projects were simply convenient conduit pipes for embezzling public funds. In two years as Senator, Onyewuchi has siphoned over 160,000,000 million naira under the guise of fictitious empowerments and unverifiable reliefs. Again, it didn’t end there, from documents sighted on the websites of different agencies and parastatals, it was discovered that Onyewuchi and his cohorts were good at employing a particular fraudulent scheme which involved the duplication of contracts using the same description, same narrative, same amount, same location and same agency, for example the item ‘STRATEGIC EMPOWERMENT FOR IMO YOUTHS OF IMO EAST SENATORIAL ZONE’ was awarded TWICE in 2019 under the NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF EMPLOYMENT which is domiciled in the MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND PRODUCTIVITY at a whopping sum of 65,000,000 naira. Same goes for a project titled; ‘VOCATIONAL AND SKILL ACQUISITION TRAINING FOR WOMEN AND YOUTH IN IMO WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT’ which was awarded at 100,000,000 naira.
For Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi, he needs to be reminded that the time of accountability is here, the time for a series of fluidy species of constituency projects termed ‘capacity building and empowerment projects’ is long gone. And for the constituents, the days when people like Onyewuchi are worshiped are long gone. Whenever a project is completed, the belief that they used their personal funds in executing the projects should be discarded, this is not the case in reality. The shameless lawmaker is rather enriching his greedy pockets in Abuja while throwing little crumbs to his helpless constituents.
Finally, Africa Daily News, New York in a bid to bring good governance in Africa generally, particularly Nigeria is publicly calling upon Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi and many like him to begin to perform their responsibilities as elected political leaders to their various constituencies in the politicians’ best interests
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
