Otti Freezes  Accounts, Dissolves Boards

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The Governor of Abia State, Mr. Alex Otti, yesterday  directed the immediate freezing of all accounts of the state government and those of its agencies domiciled in every bank and financial institutions in  the country.

This is just as the governor named Prof. Kenneth Kalu as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) among other seven appointments announced yesterday.

The new development was made known in a statement issued by the governor’s media office, signed by the Special Adviser(media and publicity), saying that Otti gave the directive after his inauguration on Monday.

He said that all concerned banks and financial institutions were expected to comply with the directive immediately.

“With this notice, all banks and other financial institutions in the country are directed to immediately cease from honouring any cheque, document, instrument or directive of any kind not expressly approved by or emanating from him (Otti).

Further Governor Otti has directed the immediate dissolution of all boards of the Abia State Government agencies and parastatals.

He subsequently ordered the chief executives of these organisations to hand over to those next in line to them.

Meanwhile,  Otti has made eight appointments in one fell swoop as he gives shape to his new administration.

In a statement  the governor named Kalu as the SSG.

Pastor Caleb Ajagba, PhD was named as the  Chief of Staff to the Governor while Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo is the Special Adviser, Health Care Delivery Services.

Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, who has been Otti’s Special Adviser Media and Publicity retained his position while Mr. Kazie Ukoh took the post of the  Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.

Uko is a professional journalist and media consultant who had plied his trade in the Daily Times when the newspaper was a dominant force in the industry.

In the appointments which took “immediate effect”, Mrs. Njum Onyemenam was named the new Accountant General of the state while Mr. Ogbonnia Okereke is the Head, Special Taskforce  on Emergency Clean-up of Aba and  Umuahia.