–Multi-billion naira scandal: Akwa Ibom people say heads must roll if government truly wants to restore trust and sanity in the system.
– The people insist SSG, Finance Commissioner, Accountant General and Auditor General of the stste must be fired
What punishments we’re meted on those involved in the coding and typographical errors of the Akwa Ibom 2019 budget that brought the state government this international embarrassment?
That question was put to the state government delegation at the press conference organized to shed light on the circumstances surrounding issues raised in the investigation stories alleging multi-billion naira scandal and fraud in the 2019 budget processes.
Although the Commissioner of information and Strategy had harped on the need to temper justice with mercy, Akwa Ibom people have continued to call for the heads of those involved in the mess if government wants to convince the people that the multi-billion naira scandal was mere errors.
Among those recommended for firing in the multi-billion naira scandal are the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem; the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Linus Nkan; the Accountant General of the state as well as the Audtor General of the state.
One commentator insisted that the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly must be compelled ‘to investigate and initiate firing and impeachment processes against offenders” against those principal government officials if found guilty of vomplicomp in the multi-billion naira scandal.
“It is foolish for Akwa Ibom State Government (AKSG) to blame its documentation of extra budgetary spending and massive fraud on the IPSAS software with which Budget 2019 was prepared.
“In the first place, IPSAS software was not coded (written) by Min. of Finance officials for there to be a coding error.
“That software has been in use since 2014 and, yearly, hundreds of millions have been appropriated to train Min. of Finance officials on how to properly use (NOT CODE) the software.
“God knows how many coding errors (read embedded fraudulent and extra budgetary spendings) have arisen since 2015.
“That is why the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly (AKHA) must be compelled by Akwa Ibomites to investigate and initiate firing and impeachment processes against offenders.
“Although AKSG claims to have fixed the coding error, the corrected 2019 spending report is no better. There is enough imperative for government to query and sack the Secretary to State Government, Commissioner of Finance, Accountant General and Auditor General for gross incompetence and other offences.
“Heads must roll to restore trust and integrity in the Akwa Ibom State Government.”