Paris Club Refund: Ex-Abia Commissioner explains invitation by EFCC

Dr. Obinna Oriaku, former Abia State Commissioner for Fi­nance, has broken his silence on his recent invitation by the Enugu office of the Eco­nomic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over alle­gations of mismanagement of Paris Club refund.

Dr. Oriaku said the invita­tion was to come and render account of his stewardship as Commissioner between 2015 and 2019

Recall that a social media platform had reported how the former commissioner was invited by the EFCC in its ongoing investigation into the management of the state’s share of the Paris Club refund received by the state with the stated period.

Reacting to the EFCC invi­tation and why he was being linked with mismanagement of funds, the former commis­sioner revealed that he was called following a petition sent to the EFCC by one of the consultants, who was yet be paid for his services and was engaged by the Senator Theo­dore Orji-led administration to recover the Paris Club refund due the state.

He further revealed that two different consultants – Murizwalton Nig Ltd and Ziplon Nigeria Ltd – “were appointed between 2011 and 2014 by past administration for purposes of recovery and reconciliation of our Paris Club refund figures and sub­sequent payment by the Fed­eral Government.

“Understanding, the fraudu­lent duplication of consultants by then government and atten­dant high percentage of all 20% and 30% respectively totaling 50% agreed before the coming of Okezie Ikpeazu’s adminis­tration, We felt it was evil to keep to such agreement hence we jettisoned such agreements and did not follow up on their payment.”

Dr. Oriaku said his invita­tion letter by the EFCC was extended to him through the office of the Secretary to the State Government to appear at EFCC’s Enugu office on June 10 “with my predecessor, Dr. Philip Nto.

“It’s unfortunate that an offi­cial letter was handed over to a media aide, who wrote yester­day, referencing EFCC’s official numbers that I was being held back at Enugu for mismanage­ment of Paris refund even as the person I was invited togeth­er with is yet to make himself available.”