By CHARLES IWUOHA

The House of Representatives Adhoc Committee on Public Account has threatened to clampdown on the Ebonyi State Chairman of the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), High Chief Hyacinth Ikpor, following an alleged fraud rocking the Commission.

The Adhoc Committee had earlier summoned Ikpor to appear before the committee to answer questions regarding documents of financial appropriation.

The Committee made this known during its oversight function at the Commission office located along Abakaliki/Enugu Express road. It summoned Chief Ikpor to appear in their Abuja office.

The motion to summon Ikpor was moved by Hon. Princess Miriam Onuoha and was seconded by Hon. Uzoma Nkem.

Hon Miriam Onuoha, representing Isiamambano/Onimo/Okigwe federal Constituency said the chairman absconded from receiving them.

The Committee vowed to suspend the release of further funds to the commission until the already provided funds was properly accounted for.

She said: “Having exhausted all efforts to reach the Chairman UBEB, Ebonyi State, who has absconded, knowing full well of our visit, I move a motion that the Chairman, having failed to appear before the South-East Committee on Public Account to give us state of affairs and accountability of how the federal government appropriation through UBEC appropriated and sent to SUBEB Enugu, Ebonyi, have been implemented.

However, the South-East Coordinator, House of Representatives Adhoc Committee on Public Account, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, commended the state governor, Dave Umahi, for paying the counterpart funds for all the projects, but regretted the attitude of some appointees of the governor in handling projects in the state.

“It is unfair that most of the staff appointed by the Governor are not doing what is right. They have to build on what governor has done to deliver services to the masses and there is a letter to the chairman of UBEC from the committee on Public Account.

“We are here to see whether the money that was released is really channelled to the purpose for which it was released for because, a lot is ongoing and the Federal Government has done marvelously well under President Muhammadu Buhari and that is why we have a reputable national Assembly members in the Committee.

“We met and spoke with the chairman of the commission this morning but he abandoned us in the office. We are unable to see anything and that is why the house moved a motion inviting him to summit all the documents because they cannot subvert the good gesture of Mr. President and the governor,” she stated.

Other places visited by the Committee includes: Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, to supervise the ongoing Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) projects in the institutions and the Ministry of Human Capital Development and Monitoring.

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