By Okey Alozie
Dr Mrs Uche Ejiogu, the former Imo State Universal Basic Education Board Chairman has continued to open up on what transpired in SUBEB when she was chairman of the Board as she mounted the witness box.
Mrs Ejiogu has been a regular witness to the probe panel where she had opened up on her stewardship between 2011-2013 during the regime of Rochas Okorocha as governor.
Making startling revelations on what transpired, the former IMSUBEB boss submitted that the 305 school building were already on ground in Imo State before she left to the Action Plan, adding that the secretary of the board, Okey Anyikwa who submitted to the panel on Wednesday that the 305 school projects were inclusive in the Action, did not say the correct thing.
Ejiogu disclosed that Bar Okey Anyikwa was not the administrative head as he claimed. Also hinted that there were series of board meetings when she was the IMSUBEB chairman contrary to what Okey Anyikwa said on Wednesday at the witness box.
In her words, “ Anyikwa cannot say he did not participate in the meetings, moreover he was not sidelined as he claimed” Ejiogu submitted.
According to her, Anyikwa did not participate in the 91 school building project and the truth is that he participated in the board meetings.
Speaking further, Uche Ejiogu said that the 305 buildings were almost completed before he left to Abuja to bring the N5.2bn that was captured in the Action Plan, adding that when she came back to Abuja she moved the money to White Label Company, adding that the 305 truly was during her tenure but without his knowledge.
She also submitted that the 91 school buildings are different from the 305 school blocks but whether the buildings are twin or not I cannot say.
“I left IMSUBEB 2013 and became commissioner for education but I did not go for supervision on primary school buildings”, she further said.
She shockingly revealed that when, the then Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha collected the money from her, she became afraid.
In order to be free from problem in future, she advised the governor to write UBEC down at the ground floor to represent the Federal Government own project while up building will then be for the state government.
Ejiogu she said this because there was nothing left to justify the money that she brought back from Abuja since the 305 buildings were already on ground before she came back.
In addition, Ejiogu hinted she was serving two masters then, Federal and State because both parties own SUBEB therefore was fair both of them.
In her presentations, Mats, Desk, Tables were listed. The panel then ask if she is not aware of renovation, plastering and other things she answered that actual package was captured in the Action Plan.
She said women loyalists of APC were given jobs. She revealed that only those who in the procurement and store department have the records of those who supplied materials to IMSUBEB. At this point pages 16, 19 and 25 of the booklet were shown to Ejiogu and she saw nursery furniture money at the tune of N33m. Teachers furniture at the tune of N4.2m then she pursed for a while.
The panel asked if she paid Roche any money for the job and Ejiogu explained she did not handle any payment again after leaving IMSUBEB in 2013.
At this point, she was discharged from the witness box.
HOD of works department in IMSUBEB Mr Larry Ihemadu was given court order for his alleged refusal to comply to the directive of the panel.
Larry Ihemadu who was supposed to have brought the necessary documents needed to ascertain the truth at the panel was said to have refused to comply claiming that government said 45 years and above should not come to work again.
Information revealed that Mr Augustus Duru who came to the panel last week informed that HOD of works on the panel decision but he ignored it.
