Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Abia State Public Complaints Commission said it has recommended the prosecution of the General Manager of the Abia State Estate Development Commission (ABSEDA) over alleged misdeeds by the agency in a land deal.
Abia State Ombudsman and Chairman of the Commission, Justice Kyrian Nwankpa (retd.), who disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Umuahia, said the recommendation followed a petition against the agency by an allottee who said he could not access a plot of land allocated to him by the agency.
According to Justice Nwankpa, the excuse by the agency that the surveyor it engaged for the exercise absconded is not a justification to deny the allottee the plot he duly paid for.
He explained that the failure of the agency to right its wrong despite several correspondences from the Commission necessitated its decision to ask the Attorney General of the state to prosecute the ABSEDA boss.
“They allotted a plot of land to a person; the person paid but did not get it. He was trying to take possession of the land but was stopped by somebody who claimed to be the original owner of the same land.
“The agency turned a deaf ear until the person complained to us. I wrote to them, forwarding the petition to them, but nothing was heard from that agency. Then, I wrote again reminding them about the man’s complaint. And then, they replied and told me that the surveyor who handled the project was nowhere to be found.
“I wrote to the Managing Director of ABSEDA and made him understand that the surveyor worked for the agency. If he had any malpractice or misdeed against any person, the matter should not be allowed to go just like that. They should look into it and possibly allocate another plot of land to the man.
“But despite the series of letters we have written, they have not done anything. But we can’t leave the matter like that.
“Recently we sent the GM another letter and said: ‘It is to be observed that you have remained silent upon receipt of our first response to your follow-up letter.
“This is not commendable. And we have decided that after this second response, we shall have no other option than to advise the Governor appropriately on this seemingly unconscionable conduct coming from a public service agency such as ABSEDA.
“Since the General Manager is a public servant, I cannot just prosecute him directly. So, that is why I said I will have to write to the Attorney General to take appropriate steps to prosecute him because what they did is fraudulent.”
The Ombudsman clarified that the ABSEDA boss might not be personally responsible for the misdeed; however, the agency ought to have taken action against the surveyor said to be at large or resolved the matter in favour of the innocent client.
“I didn’t say that he did it because we are going after the surveyor that handled that matter. They told us that they no longer see the surveyor. It appears the surveyor had left them. But is that how to handle such a matter? No, just casually? That’s very wrong.”
The Ombudsman said the Commission had received many petitions, mostly from workers on various issues including salary payments.
He said that the Commission, established by Governor Alex Otti to address various complaints from members of the public, was poised to live up to its mandate.
Justice Nwankpa said over 39 high-profile cases had been treated by the Commission since April 2024, adding that some of the resolutions had been forwarded to the appropriate heads of agencies for implementation.
He said that complaints affecting civil servants were treated in compliance with civil service rules while resolutions were forwarded to the Chairman, Civil Service Commission, for implementation.
Justice Nwankpa, who cited the resolution of a petition by a staff of Umuahia South Local Government Area whose April salary was omitted because of his failure to sign the attendance register while on annual leave, said the Commission was set up to protect the interest of workers without any fear of victimisation.
He explained that the Commission exists to receive, investigate and treat complaints of injustice or misconduct, adding that it also protects vulnerable groups against oppression.
The Ombudsman, however, said that criminal cases or matters already in court are not treated by the Commission.
He commended Governor Otti for his foresight in establishing the Commission, admitting that the Governor has also continued to provide the needed support in actualising its goals.
The retired High Court Justice promised that the Commission would continue to discharge its duties without bias, fear, or favour.
