Uwem Andrew Essien, accountant-general of Akwa Ibom state, has been absolved of all wrong doing and given a clean bill of health by the state house of assembly.
The assembly had investigated allegations of misappropriation levelled against him.
At its plenary on December 8, 2020, an ad hoc committee was set up to investigate issues surrounding the withdrawal of the 2019 statement and accounts of the state government by the office of the accountant-general.
The committee said the allegations were baseless and illogical.
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Udo Kieran Akpan, chairman of the ad hoc committee, while presenting the committee’s report, cited alleged expenditure of N4.864 billion on Toyota Prado Jeeps and expenditure of N5.04 billion on maintenance of the state aircraft by the office of the secretary to the state government.
Udo Kieran Akpan revealed that the office of the accountant-general, had on noticing errors in the account already published by the accountant-general, withdrew the published account and released a new version.
He said the alarm raised by Akwa Ibom people on the issues investigated was in good faith and intended to hold government accountable.
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The lawmaker said the accountant-general’s office acted appropriately by noticing and correcting the errors but, however, warned that such errors should not be allowed to occur the second time.
He said the audited accounts of the state government as passed by the house of assembly on 4th June 2020 remains valid.
Subsequently, the house after considering the report at the committee of the whole, adopted the report, while Aniekan Bassey, the speaker, directed Mandu Umoren, the clerk of house, to communicate the resolution of the house to the appropriate quarters.
In the meantime, the house has adjourned plenary to March 2, 2021.
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