A member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Chinedu Ogah, has demanded the immediate retraction of a statement issued by a coalition of civil society organisations accusing the Ebonyi State Government of poor governance following the state's failure to qualify for the World Bank-supported HOPE Governance Programme Performance-Based Incentive Grant.
Ogah gave the coalition a 21-day ultimatum to withdraw the publication and apologise to Governor Francis Nwifuru, describing the allegations as false, misleading and politically motivated.
The lawmaker was reacting to a recent statement by the coalition, which alleged that Ebonyi lost the opportunity to access about 27 million dollars under the World Bank programme after failing to meet governance and public financial management requirements.
The coalition had claimed that the state failed to publish critical fiscal documents within stipulated timelines, including its budget, citizens' budgets and financial reports, resulting in its disqualification from the performance-based grant.
However, in a statement issued by his media office, Ogah defended Governor Nwifuru's administration, insisting that the governor had demonstrated prudence in managing the state's resources since assuming office.
He said the governor had not borrowed funds from either local or foreign financial institutions and had instead paid about 80 per cent of debts inherited from previous administrations.
According to him, the administration has focused on economic diversification through the development of the Industrial City in Ezzamgbo, the rehabilitation of Nigercem and investments aimed at creating jobs for youths across the state.
Ogah said the governor had also prioritised human capital development and improved the welfare of residents, stressing that such achievements deserved commendation rather than criticism. "Governor Francis Nwifuru has been prudent in the management of Ebonyi State's resources since he assumed office. He has not borrowed money from any local or foreign bank. Rather, he has paid about 80 per cent of the debts incurred by previous administrations," he said.
The federal lawmaker accused the civil society groups of allowing themselves to be used by the opposition to tarnish the image of the state government. "We humbly wish to ask Charles Otu and Prof. Joseph Agbo, whom the opposition is using, to show us any bank where Governor Nwifuru has borrowed money since becoming governor," Ogah said.
He maintained that security had improved under the current administration and urged the critics to verify their claims with the Debt Management Office before making public statements. "Since Governor Nwifuru came on board, insecurity has reduced and the welfare of Ebonyi people remains his priority. They should consult the Debt Management Office before speaking. They should also visit rural communities to see the projects the governor is executing before criticising his administration," he added.
Ogah warned that failure to retract the publication within 21 days could attract legal consequences. "I am giving them 21 days to retract those false allegations against the Ebonyi State Government and apologise to the governor. Some people allow their political interests to push them into destroying the image of Ebonyi State through false publications and cyberbullying. They should withdraw the statement and apologise," he said.
The coalition had earlier argued that Ebonyi's inability to qualify for the World Bank incentive grant reflected weaknesses in fiscal transparency, budget implementation and public financial management, while urging the government to strengthen governance reforms and improve accountability.
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