Enugu Assembly Probes Ex-Gov. Chime, Others Over Diversion Of State’s IGR

Posted by African Examiner Enugu, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016

By Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

ENUGU, Nigeria (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The ongoing probe of the administration of the immediate past Governor of Enugu State, Bar. Sullivan Chime, by the State’s House of Assembly, continued Tuesday, as the lawmakers, resolved to look into the internally Generated Revenue (IGR) accrued to Chime’s administration which lasted between 2008 and June, 2016.

To this end, Chairman of the Enugu State Board of Internal Revenue during the period under review, Mr. Felix Chime, who is also a family member of the ex- Governor, may be in for trouble.

Aside the Chimes, other officials listed for questioning are: the Principal Officers of the Board who might be privy to the alleged pilfering of the State’s treasury.

The House stated that its decision to beam her searchlight on the IGR within the period under review sprung from petitions received from members of the general public, alleging that a lot of water passed under the bridge during the Chime’s administration.

Our Correspondent recalled that the lawmakers, had in November 2015, summoned contractors and Commissioners that worked under Chime with a view to ascertaining how road and other capital projects were handled by the past administration.

Besides, only few weeks ago, the legislators called on Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to revoke with immediate effect, all contractual agreements entered into by the State’s Tourism Board during Chime’s administration.

Consequently, the House on Tuesday during its plenary set up a 7- man committee to investigate the alleged diversion of the State’s IGR by the Chairman of the State’s Board of Internal Revenue, between 2008 and June 2016.

In a petition presented at the floor of the House, the member Representing Enugu South Urban Constituency, Bar. Obinna Okenwa, said that the House has received petitions from members of the public alleging that the former Chairman of the Board Of Internal Revenue, Mr. Felix Chime and other principal officers of the establishment had continually “diverted the state’s revenue between 2008 and June 2016 into their private pockets.

Okenwa lamented that the alleged diversion had further worsened the economic situation of the State.

He therefore, requested the House to as a matter of urgency investigate, activities of the Board within the period in question, with a view to recovering the alleged stolen money.

To ascertain the veracity of the alleged sleaze, Speaker of the House, Hon. Uchenna Ubosi, set up a 7 man committee headed by Ozo Sunday Ude Okoye, member representing Awgu North to investigate the petition and report back to the House within 30 days.

Other members of the committee are Philip Nnamani, Christian Nwamba, Obinna Okenwa, Nkechi Omeje-Ogbu, Ezenta Ezeani and John Ukuta.