Enugu Assembly probes Gov. Chime.

Members of Enugu State House of Assembly, yesterday, ordered the state Accountant-General, Mr. Paschal Okolie, to submit a detailed report to the House on income and expenditure of the state from January last year to date for necessary scrutiny.

This latest development is a pointer that the last has not been heard of the lingering sour relationship between them and the executive arm, led by Governor Sullivan Chime, which political pundits believe is an outright probe of Chime’s administration that is expiring in a  few weeks.

The Accountant General was given up to next Monday to turn in the detailed account unfailingly.

The Accountant General, who had been elusive, having failed to appear before the lawmakers, finally showed up yesterday, explaining that half of their members allowances in  had been paid into the coffers of the Assembly.

According to him, others will be paid.

Also at yesterday’s sitting, members passed a vote of confidence in the speaker, Mr. Eugene Odo, while condemning the castigation by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Chukwudi Achife, over the collective decisions of the House that eventually led to the ongoing face off between them and the executive.

Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr. Lawrence Agbo, had on Sunday called for a public debate on the burning issues taken by the House which did not go down well with the executive.

He said:  “They (Executive) are angry because the House insisted that the water concession plan for 25 years be suspended.

‘’We stopped land allocation at International Conference Centre; construction of Park and Shop mall adjacent to the House of Assembly complex as well as land allocation at   old Eastern Nigeria Industrial Centre   at Zik, Avenue Enugu.

“Other issues were probe of alleged fictitious award of contracts by Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board, ENSUBEB, and request for cancellation of land allocation to individuals around the 3-arms zone of the state, all done in public interest”.

The speaker’s Chief Press Secretary further told the press that “the House of Assembly is made up of 24 members and as it is in any legislative House, the position of the speaker is merely to preside and rule on the majority decisions of the members on any issue.

‘’Therefore, the position of the Speakership is more administrative than legislative, so that publication by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary appeared personal.

“It is unfortunate as it was aimed at denigrating the image and the person of the honorable Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly and apparently misleading the good people of Enugu State and the general public on issues raised in the publication, hence we call for public debate, to ascertain who acted in the interest of the public and posterity.”

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