By Bello Alasa
The investigation of Edo Government finances by the EFCC as widely reported in the press has been jubilantly received by well meaning Edo people.
It is clear that the people have borne a lot of pains and wanted avenues to at least ventilate their anger and express their sufferings in the hands of a people who are supposed to shoulder the responsibilities of their wellbeing.
The investigation by the EFCC commenced on Edo Government officials has caused much jittery amongst them and almost brought the entire government business to halt.
This is because none of the officials knows his fate as the investigation is expected to be far reaching.
The major cause of worry now generated by the EFCC investigation processes is the tension between the illegal LGA Liaison Officers and the HOS on the one hand and with the LGAs engineers on the other hand.
Upon the appointment of the Liaison Officers,the HOS were scared of financial dealings with the former as they knew the position of the law that made such appointments illegal. However, they were forced to relate with them and being the Accounting officers of the LGAs all bank Cheques must be endorsed by them.
One of the issues of contention before the EFCC is the two hundred million naira #200,000,000 said to have been released to the LGAs. It should be pointed out that most LGAs got more than that. In the case of Etsako East it was three hundred and fourteen million naira only #314,000,000 and for Etsako West it was three hundred and ten million naira, #310,000,000 ,Etsako Central got almost equal amount.
This money was released to the LGAs to clandestinely be used for election purpose(s) in their respective LGAs, though grading of access roads and some development initiatives were stated in records.
The case of Etsako West where Gowon Jerry was appointed Liaison officer readily comes to mind. He has not had good working relationship with his HOS since his appointment.
This is borne out of the fact that he sees himself as being above the law and knows it all. He has had frictions with the HOS in his attempts to make him sign Cheques for which nothing can be made responsible..
Few days before the EFCC investigation was blown open Gowon Jerry had a heated exchange with the HOS over his attempt to make the latter signs cheques of tens of million naira. The HOS had requested to know what the money was spent on and this was not well received by the over bloated Liaison Officer.
It took the intervention of officers of the NCDSC for them not to be involved in a physical combat. However, the ensuing EFCC investigation has suddenly jostled Gowon Jerry. He is looking for various sub heads to allocate money he has been spending at will. He called the HOS as at Friday to apologize and ask how he could be assisted to cover up his tracks.
He has also called the engineer of the LGA asking how he could assist to cover up the huge money he claimed to have expended on grading of roads. When Jerry came up with grading of roads, the LGA engineer went round with his staff and made recommendations of quantity sand and other requirements for the roads to be properly graded. Jerry do not follow specifications from the recommendations but went on his own to source who graded the roads and with whatever he told the contractor.
Thus, he embarked on those projects without inputs from the trained LGA staff. He alone knows the contractors he uses, how much is the cost of project and which project he would execute. In his effort to get the money out from the LGA he ran into problems because the engineer was not ready to be part of it and the HOS is already jittery with the looming EFCC investigation. Gowon Jerry has done himself in as the EFCC will soon call for all the files and people involved in these fictitious projects.It is clear most of the money spent on these projects are over bloated and some of it goes into private pockets and to execute the forthcoming election.
The position in other LGAs is as in Etsako West. Kelvin, the illegal Liaison Officer in Etsako Central is a lord unto himself. He hardly goes to the office except on days he intended asking the HOS to sign cheques for non existing projects to be executed. He is spending so much money on security agencies in his efforts to arrest imaginary political enemies.
Any attempt to resist their hunger for Local Government funds is met with strong rebuke by the LIaison officers. They boast of their connection to the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu and also to be acting on his instruction.
It is evidently clear that the LGAs have not properly functioned since Obaseki and Philip took over government in Edo state. The Federal allocation to LGA is pilfered before it reaches them and whatever they get eventually from the state government the Liaison officers and HOS help themselves with it.
The EFCC investigation is one of the best things that could happen to Edo people now.