Amidst the debate over the 10B Airport Fund and how it was allegedly misappropriated by the Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration, the Governor of Abia State Dr Alex Otti said the immediate past administration transferred the funds into 32 different Company accounts before it was shared without constructing the said Airport.
Governor Otti said the last administration already transferred the money out of the Abia State Government account before approaching the Abia State House of Assembly for approval for the funding of the Abia Airport Project.
The Governor made this revelation during his Monthly interactive Media Chat with Journalists tagged “Governor Alex Otti speaks to Abians”held at Government House Umuahia.
He reveled that the Management of FEROTEX Construction Company has admitted that the company never applied to be awarded the aborted Abia State Airport Project under the Administration of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu.
“The immediate past Governor with his denial is not unexpected, when it was announced, they went to the media abusing the Government and said the Government lied, they didn’t deny about spending the fund, but claimed that they used it for road construction which is against the evidence we have available “
On the 25th of September 2020 when people weere battling with COVID-19, a debit went into the Government account with a description’ 80 percent for the payment for the Abia Airport Project”
Then On the 13th of October 2020 some weeks after, the Government then wrote to the Abia State House of Assembly seeking approval over the Project , on the 14th of October 2020 ,a letter was written to the then Governor given him the approval for the Airport Project”
“FEROTEX said he told them that the Company have never built an airport before and never applied for the Contract , so how come money was moved into the account of a Company that said they never built an airport”
“The money was moved to 32 Companies on the instruction of the Former Government of Abia State, and am sure they will respond to the relevant agencies very soon”
The Governor revealed that his administration will soon publish the report of the Forensic audit into the aborted Abia Airport Project
