Home » The Multi Billions Naira Scam that Lands Oko Poly Rector Godwin Onu into Trouble

The Multi Billions Naira Scam that Lands Oko Poly Rector Godwin Onu into Trouble

By Sam Joseph; The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Oko, Prof. Godwin Onu, for Contract Scam running into Billions of Naira.

The arraignment, which first came up for hearing on the 28th of February, 2017, was adjourned,  after failed hearings on  the 14th and 21st  of March, 2017, to the 4th of July, 2017. Members of staff of the Polytechnic have been wondering about these adjournments: has the Rector settled the people concerned again? This is the question they are asking.

The Rector is being charged with his Director of Physical Planning, Dr. Rowland Ezeaku, and his TETFUND Desk Officer,  Ms Ebere Marley Onuoha. The latter was said to have been appointed into that position of TETFUND Desk Officer, a position usually reserved for Directors, even while she was serving as a Youth Corper.

OTHER POINTS AT ISSUE:
18 count charges were listed

Sources who are refusing to be named, reveal that long before this arraignment, several petitions were sent to many agencies of government drawing attention to massive corruption  going on in the Polytechnic. But the petitions were all ignored. The Agencies include:
the Federal Ministry of Education which sent several panels but the reports were never released.
The EFCC
The Code of Conduct Bureau
The TETFUND
The Head of Service of the Federation
The SGF
Office of the President

Onu is said to have always boasted that no petition written against him would ever see the light of day until this arraignment by the ICPC. Even at that, he still to boasts that this case would come to nothing.

Members of staff we spoke to also said that award of contracts in the Polytechnic di nit follow due process. The contractor that gives the highest bride gets the contractof staff.

Still our sources in Oko confirm that a sum of N1.5 Billion was recently paid to the Rector as take-off grant for the Polytechnic. Rector has not accounted for it.

Some months ago, a TETFUND sponsored multi-storey building, built by the Rector, collapsed. Miraculously,  this happened at night. It was publisised and TETFUND was informed – nothing happened. Members of staff say that more TETFUND Sponsored projects in the Institution are collapsing because of poor construction due to corruption.

Questions:
Why have all the Petitions submitted by staff of the Polytechnic to so many agencies of government ignored. Even the  Registrar of the Institution wrote and yet no action by government,  even the Ministry of Education? The Registrar, Mr Anthony Nwaokolobia refused to speak to us claiming he is not allowed to as a Civil Servant.

Code of Conduct for Public Officers is that any Officer facing criminal charges in court must leave his seat until the case is over. But, Onu is still on seat as Rector. Why is the Ministry allowing him?

Members of staff also told us that Onu is today attending prestigious Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies for nine months. How can this be when he has criminal charges in court?  Is this not an insult to this government that is fighting against corruption?

What has been delaying the hearing of the case in the Anambra State High Court where the case is before the Chief Judge of the State?


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