थे इग्बोक्वेस थे अक्वा इबोम स्टेट GOVERNMENT

THE IGBOKWES AND AKWA IBOM STATE GOVERNMENT

Recently the media have been awash with reports of a printing machine that a company owned by Chiefs Edwin and Christy Igbokwe supplied to Akwa Ibom Newspapers Corporation, AKNC. The controversy have been raging on, did the company supply an old machine? Was the machine supplied non functional? Has the machine been given regular servicing and maintenance?

One did not want to join in this controversy but the recent panel set up by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and the report of the panel is worrisome. Also worrisome is the arrest warrant issued by the assembly on the Igbokwes. With due respect to the dishonourable, sorry, honourable, members this committee is a kangorro court. From their utterances and report, the house was bias even before the committee was set up. The report seems to have been agreed before the inauguration of the committee. In these days of the rule of law, were the accused given fair hearing? Were they given the opportunity to defend themselves? What was the reason for setting up the panel? Who is the target of the probe panel? Is it true that the Igbokwes are being persecuted because of their perceived links and relationship with former Governor Victor Attah? Is the probe panel that investigated the printing machine issue embarking on an indirect probe of the past administration in the state?

If the House of Assembly is embarking on a probe of past administrations in the state they should look into an earlier one million dollars that was given to a female contractor to supply printing machine for the same newspaper and a pin was not deliver. They should look at the contract for the building housing the machine and the newspaper and why it was unnecessarily delayed. They should also look at the management and staff composition of the newspaper and how competent and capable are they to produce a 21st century newspaper. They should also look at all the projects and contracts awarded in the last nine years. The legislators should ask the contractor that handled the Nkemba street road construction why the road failed few weeks after it was completed.

I learnt the House of Assembly committee investigating the machine issue visited the Rivers State Newspapers Corporation which does not have similar machine, what did they learnt form such visit? We have renowned printers from and in Akwa Ibom state, did the committee seek their expert advice on the state of the machine and how good it is? Let us assume that since that machine was bought and installed it was not use for one day, does that make it a new machine or isolate it from malfunctioning as a result of neglect and non usage? Can any of the assembly members buy a car that was bought 10 years ago and packed in a garage as a new car today at the prevailing market price? Was there no warranty or maintenance agreement between the corporation and the suppliers? When did warranty expire if there was any? Did the company supply a new or refurbished machine? If the machine was refurbished who and why did AKNC accepted it? How regular has the machine been service since it was installed?

The controversial machine was printing the Akwa Ibom State Government owned Pioneer Newspaper until a new management came into the corporation and the machine suddenly became obsolete, old and malfunctioning. Then the current management of the paper decided to go to Port Harcourt and do their printing using a similar machine supplied by the same Igbokwe. What an irony! The machine in Port Harcourt prints two daily newspapers every day besides The Pioneer and other sundry jobs, yet the machine is still functioning. The Pioneer publishes about three editions weekly and its print runs for a week may not be up to what one of those daily newspapers printed by the press they use in Port Harcourt prints daily yet the management of AKNC is complaining about their machine which is almost a decade old.

There is nothing wrong with the house investigating questionable contracts and uncompleted projects but the bottom line should be the overall interest of Akwa Ibom state and its people and not to settle political scores or rubbish perceived enemies of government. After all most of the political actors in the state today are products of the last administration therefore if the last administration failed they also share in the failure. There is no need making an escape goat of the Igbokwes. When the last administration was in office the then government, according to the current political actors, was the best thing that had ever happen to the state. They sang the praises of the administration to high heavens and now barely one year after the same people are turning around to demonize the government.

We are aware that every political appointment is seen as God- ordained opportunity for the appointees ‘to make it.’ Even when the appointee may not be keen on abusing them system for pecuniary reasons, he or she would be prodded by relatives and other well wishers to make the best use of the opportunity, since as they said, opportunity knocks but once, and this once must be maximize to the fullest. I think this is the scenario in AKNC. Some one just wants to make money from the company though the idea of acquisition of a new printing press. And to justify the need for a new machine the one that was in place must be declared a scrap and unserviceable.

Christy Essien Igbokwe is a great daughter and ambassador of Akwa Ibom State and deserves respect, honour and appreciation from indigenes of the state, especially those occupying public office. And as a worthy daughter she has all the rights and privileges to bid for and execute any contract or project that she has the technical know-how and capability. But it seems that members of the assembly are out to rubbish her well earned reputation. And this is not fair. Those who live in glass houses have always been admonished to abstain from throwing stones, power is transient, today it is Igbokwe tomorrow it may be one of these legislators. Whatever is the matter and situation, maintain the standard and let truth and fair prevail.