The House Committee on Public Accounts, Anti-Corruption and Due Process of the Abia State House of Assembly, yesterday adjourned the hearing of the alleged selling of 17 vehicles belonging to the Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB) for the tone of N317, 000 and that of the students’ buses packed in the Ministry of Agriculture, due to the absence of some of the parties involved.

Reading out the petition, the Chairman of the House Committee, Hon. (Barr.) Jerry Uzosike revealed to the house of the alleged involvement of SEMB in the auctioning of 17 vehicles belonging to the Board to the sum of N317, 000 without due processes of auctioning government property.

AFNEWS gathered from the petition that the Board was alleged to have auctioned the vehicles at the cost of N10, 000 and N25, 000 each for different brands without the vehicles being declared “Beyond Economic Recovery.” Additionally, two vehicles of the Board (504 and 505) sent for repairs and the money paid, did not return to the State as they were alleged to be missing.

In their submissions, the Deputy Minority Leader and the House Member representing Bende, Hon. Chukwu Chijioke questioned this alleged auctioning of government properties, declaring it unacceptable by the House as if found true, the House will not spare the parties involved, while questioning the process taken before the auctioning and if due approval was given.

As a result of parties from the government house and Ministry of Transport, being absent, the Committee later resolved to adjourn the investigation to Wednesday, 27th January, 2021 by 10:00 am at the Committee Room 1 of the State House of Assembly. In his adjournment note, the Chairman of the Committee requested all parties involved to be present and mandated SEMB to produce documentary evidences that the auctioning of the vehicles was approved by the Governor, evidence showing that the vehicles were declared BER before the auctioning, national daily containing the advert for the auctioning, applications sent in by auctioneers, the license and valid certificate showing that the auctioneer is a member of the NAA, official sale and evaluation reports of the vehicles and a proper inventory of the cars as well as other documents empowering the alleged auctioning of the vehicles and evidence of payment into the account of the Board of Internal Revenue of the State.

Alongside the allegedly auctioning of the SEMB vehicles, the Ministry of Agriculture in the State is being alleged for the undue and illegal auctioning of students’ buses packed in their premises. However, the House Committee is investigating the matter alongside with that of the SEMB.