BEVERLY HILLS, June 29, (THEWILL) – The Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, has been criticised for buying four SUVs for former Governors of the state, at the cost of N29 million each, yet reducing the salaries of civil servants, particularly, health workers, in the state.
Umahi, with the backing of the State’s House of Assembly, had acquired the vehicles intended for Martin Elechi, immediate past governor of Ebonyi State, and another former Governor, Sam Egwu.
Also to benefit from the car gift were the former Governor of old Abia State and Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, who hails from Ebonyi, and a former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim.
The government, in a letter to the beneficiaries, said the gifts were “in recognition of their role in promotion of democracy in Ebonyi State and for meritorious services in that regard.”
However, a group, the Save Ebonyi Network, has condemned the car gift to the former governors saying it was a waste of public funds especially as the state and country was presently witnessing dwindling revenue from the federal allocation.
The group, in a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Okorie Nnamdi, and Secretary, Mbam Ofoke, wondered why the beneficiaries, who in every sense could afford the cars on their own, would be given the cars at a time when the state government was busy cutting salaries of health workers in the state.
“The situation today in the state is that of gloom and despair as many children of civil servants have dropped out of school as the drastic reduction in their salaries has made it difficult for them to pay their children’s school fees yet the Umahi administration has millions of naira to buy cars for people who have no need for them,” the statement said.
“The money could have been used to offset the school fees of some of the students studying overseas under the state government’s scholarship, who are facing sack from their schools and subsequent deportation because of the refusal of the state government to pay their school fees.”
Meanwhile, Elechi, rejected the Toyota V8 SUV gift given to him questioning why the same government, which had refused to pay his entitlements and severance package, would dole out such money to purchase an exorbitant car for him.
Elechi, in a reply to the letter by Umahi, rejected the car and criticized the Governor arguing that the gifts could be likened to a Greek gift as he upbraided his successor for the smear campaign against him and his term in office.
Story by David Oputah
