The Enugu State House of Assembly has set up a seven-man Committee to probe the utilisation of Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, during the administration of the former governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime.
Members of the Committee to be chaired by the member representing Awgu North state Constituency, Ozo Sunday Ude-Okoye include Philip Nnamani, Christian Nwamba, Obinna Okenwa, Nkechi Omeje-Ogbu, Ezenta Ezeani and John Ukuta
They are to look into the activities of the former Chairman, Enugu State Board of Internal Revenue, Mr. Felix Chime and some of his henchmen during the same period following petitions that flooded the House over alleged shady deals over IGR during Chime’s tenure between 2008 and 2015.
The House had previously asked Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to revoke all lease agreements between the Chime administration and business owners in recreational facilities in the state.
Sources told Vanguard that the House took the decision following alleged discovery of pilfering of state’s resources within the period. Consequently, the committee is to investigate the alleged diversion of the state’s IGR by the chairman of the Board of Internal Revenue, BIR between 2008 and June 2016.
Member representing Enugu South Urban Constituency, Hon Obinna Okenwa, had in an appeal presented on the floor of the House, said that there were several petitions from members of the public alleging that the former chairman of the BIR, Mr Felix Chime and other principal officers of the board had continually diverted the state’s IGR between 2008 and June 2016 into their private pockets.
Okenwa lamented that the alleged diversion had worsened the economic situation of the state and prayed the House to investigate as a matter of urgency, the activities of the Board within the period with a view to recovering the said stolen money.
After thorough deliberations by the House, the Speaker, Hon. Uchenna Ubosi set up the committee and asked members to investigate the petitions and report back to the House within 30 days. (Vanguard)
