Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, popularly known as Andy, on Friday received heavy bashing from his kinsmen over his verbal attack on Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Okonkwo had in a 4-page letter, among other things, accused the Governor of neglecting the people of Nsukka town.
However, speaking during a press briefing at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Enugu Correspondents’ Chapel, the Enugu State Commissioner for Housing and Urban development, Hon. Charles Ogbo Asogwa maintained that the allegations raised by the actor were blatant lies and acts of mischief.
“We must state clearly that the allegation that the Governor or his sycophant called the people of Enugu wretched was a blatant lie. The Governor is known for his humility, respect for humanity and respect for all and therefore could not have made or supported such statement.
“Such baseless allegation can only be initiated to incite the people of Enugu State against the Governor”, Asogwa declared.
He was accompanied during the press briefing by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area, Prof. Mrs. Rose Onah, Barr. Ben Ezugwu, member Governing Council, Enugu State College of Education, Technical, and Dr. Sam Ugwu, Special Adviser to the Governor on Education.
Reacting to the allegation Governor Ugwuanyi was diverting local government fund, the Nsukka people stated that it was not only malicious but an exhibition of ignorance of the operational process of ‘Gburugburu’s administration’.
“I wish to state categorically that Governor Ugwuanyi does not touch the allocation of the local governments. He has vowed not to do so and he has kept his vow”, Asogwa added.
He further stated that “the actor has again shown that he is ignorant of the operation of the local government system. They payment of local government workers’ salaries are drawn from federal allocation as determined by the Revenue Allocation, Mobilization and Fiscal Commission, RAMAC.
“The Governor’s care and concern for the welfare of local government workers were demonstrated when he convened a stakeholders’ meeting in the banquet hall to determine the application of the first tranch of the state’s share of Paris Club fund. Under his guidance, the decision was to use 75 percent of the fund for the payment of salary arrears of Local government workers and 25 percent for pension arrears.”
Asogwa equally faulted Okonkwo over his claims that the Governor hates Nsukka people, stressing that people from the area were holding very prominent positions in government.
Some of them according to him, included: “Barr. Peter Odo, permanent secretary, and acting Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Mrs. Apo Vivian Eze, SSA to the Governor on compliance, Barr. Ben Ezugwu, member Governing Council, Enugu State College of Education, Technical, Barr. Emeka Asogwa, SA to the Governor on youths, Dr Chris Asadu, SSA to the Governor and eight executive assistants to the governor.
He added that other parts of Nsukka Local Government area equally got appointments, among which are: “The attorney general and commissioner for justice, Chief M.E Eze; commissioner for housing and urban development, Hon.Charles Ogbo Asogwa, commissioner for education, Prof. Uche Eze and Special Adviser to the Governor on education, Dr. Sam Ugwu.
On the infrastructural development in Nsukka, he expressed shock that Okonkwo could describe the road construction works as “refurbishing”, stating that it was a deliberate attempt to discredit the good work of the Governor.
“It is on record that the on-going road construction works are of international standard and unprecedented in the State”, he noted.
He explained that apart from the several road projects in the area and other parts of the State, other sectors, including education, health, housing, were also receiving serious attention.
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