Former Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, addressed allegations of diverting N10 billion allocated for an Aba airport.
He acknowledged allocating N10 billion for the airport to boost Aba’s commerce. However, he claimed he recognized the poor condition of roads leading to major markets, hindering connectivity.
Ikpeazu explained that the funds were redirected to construct Faulks Road through Eziokwu, Ngwa Road to Ariaria International Market. He however denied diverting money to 32 contractor accounts.
“We decided to suspend the airport project. Today when the people talk about money for airport and whatever i think they are questioning my decision to change my mind and i have right at that time as governor to say i don’t want this airport now because if you land at the airport where are you going to, you can not go to Ariaria you know.
“So i have to agree with the state Exevutives at that time for us to finish some of these roads at the time and am happy that today i finished Eziukwu road, Faulks road, Ngwa road and Osusu road from that fund. You can connect Ariaria through Osusu road to Eziukwu market then to Ngwa road market.
“I succeeded in connecting all the markets courtesy of that fund which were supposed to be deployed for the airport. Thank God that we took that decision because if we had gone ahead with the airport project N10B wouldn’t have done an airport anyway.
“I know about some airports right now that were commissioned that are yet to receive an aeroplane so how will i tie down N10B for nothing. I assure you no time was the money diverted,” the former governor explained.
Ikpeazu further clarified the use of multiple contractors:
“We published the 32 contractors in fact they were not 32 they were about 20 something because the ministry of works got money from that fund and ministry of public utilities also got money from the fund for streets lights, so it is wrong to say 32 contractors but among the contractors 20 something of them got as small as N30m some N12m. What will you be diverting from N30m and N12m?
“And then in that publication we gave dates when the money was paid into the contractors account, we gave the contractors identities, we gave the roads the contractors were supposed to do.
“What I had expected a discerning mind to do was to follow the trail nothing was paid cash and see if a dime was diverted into somebody’s account apart from the said purpose but if you trail and see that the man (contractor) was buying asphalt, sand, and gravel and go to where Faulks road is and you see that Faulks road is standing, I mean the matter speaks for itself but the good thing is that if they follow the trail of that N10B they will acknowledge with their mouths that some jobs was done contrary to the opinion they have out there.
“It will be clear to them that Faulks road, Eziukwu, Milverton and Afor Ibeji in Ubakala was done by this government from the fund.”