Abia: Cleric warns against delaying handover documents  to Otti

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

 Leader of the team nominated by the Governor-elect, Dr. Alex Otti, to work with the Abia Government’s Transition Committee, says the delay in availing Otti Handover Documents by the Governor Okezie Ikpeazu-led government may constitute a major obstacle to the envisaged smooth take-off of the incoming administration.

Rev. Fr. Christian Anokwuru, the Leader of Dr. Alex Otti’s representatives in the Abia Government’s Transition Committee, who expressed this fear during an interview with newsmen in Umuahia on Thursday, May 11, 2023, also revealed that the Government’s Transition Committee was not cooperating with members of the Committee nominated by the Governor-elect.

He added that the Committee was rather interested in preparing for the inauguration ceremony of Otti, instead of availing Otti with the Handover Documents.

Otherwise, Fr. Anokwuru insisted that Otti was mentally and psychologically prepared to hit the ground running from May 29, but may be slowed by the inability of the Transition Committee to present the Handover Document before he is sworn into office.

Speaking on the extent the Government’s Transition Committee, headed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barr. Chris Ezem, has gone in its assignment, Fr. Anokwuru expressed concern that the Committee was delaying in making the Handover Documents to Otti before May 29, 2023 to enable the incoming Governor to study the document to have knowledge of the contents.

The cleric who is leading an eight-member team nominated by Otti to work with the State Government’s Transition Committee, said with few  days to May 29 inauguration, the Handover Document ought to have been ready.

Attesting to Otti’s readiness to form his government from day one, Fr. Anokwuru said: “From the body language of Dr Alex Otti, it is clear that he is ready for governance and immediately he is sworn in, all appointments will begin to take place without unnecessary delay,” assuring that appointments would be made based on merit, competence, integrity, fairness and equity. 

“It is expected that the outgoing administration ought to avail the governor-elect with the handover documents early enough to enable him to study the contents before May 29.

“The administration has only few weeks left to be in office; so, by now, the handover documents, covering the government’s activities from 2015 to April 2023, ought to have been ready.

“Unfortunately, the government committee appears to be more preoccupied with preparations for the swearing in ceremony rather than the documents.

“And, if the government insists that the handover documents would only be made available on May 29, it means the governor-elect has to take another period of time to study them.

“This is the only factor that will likely impede or slow down the pace with which the Governor-elect has prepared to take off.

“For us from the Governor-elect, we are not getting the maximum cooperation we were promised by the government,” Fr. Anokwuru said.

He said that the present stance of the State Government was at variance with the inaugural speech by Deputy Governor Oko Chukwu.

According to him, Chukwu promised that government would avail the incoming administration all it needs, including documents, to enable it to take off smoothly.

“We are asking to be exposed to the documents, inventories from inception of this government to, at least, the month of April.

“Whatever they have from end of April to May 29 could be captured in a footnote or addendum.

“I want to say that it has not been smooth and easy for us nominated by the Governor-elect to interface with the government team,” the Cleric said