{"id":3246,"date":"2017-11-22T23:07:00","date_gmt":"2017-11-23T06:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nigerianews.ca\/?p=3246"},"modified":"2017-11-22T23:07:00","modified_gmt":"2017-11-23T06:07:00","slug":"im-ready-probe-erecting-zuma-johnson-sirleaf-statues-okorocha-blasts-serap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nigerianews.ca\/im-ready-probe-erecting-zuma-johnson-sirleaf-statues-okorocha-blasts-serap\/","title":{"rendered":"I\u2019m ready for probe for erecting Zuma, Johnson-Sirleaf statues \u2014 Okorocha blasts SERAP"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Gov.<\/p>\n
Gov. Rochas Okorocha\u200f [Photo Credit: Twitter – @GovernorRochas]<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n
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RE: \u00a0SERAP asks CCB, ICPC to probe Okorocha over \u2018N1bn statues of Zuma, Johnson-Sirleaf\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

November 22, 2017: \u00a0The Imo state government has responded to the call by a human rights group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP demanding the probe of Governor Rochas Okorocha over the statues erected in honour of two African leaders, Jacob Zuma and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.<\/p>\n

In the petition signed by the Executive Director of the group, Adetokunbo Mumuni<\/a>, SERAP called on the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC to collaborate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for a joint investigation of \u2018incompatibility and\/or apparent and conflict of interest\u2019.<\/p>\n

The group expressed concerns that Governor Rochas \u201dmay have spent over \u2018N1 billion\u2019 of public funds to build the statues.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a statement by the chief press secretary to the governor, Sam Onwuemeodo, on Tuesday, the government said the state agreed with SERAP\u2019s call for probe.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, we want to solemnly subscribe to SERAP\u2019s call for probe. We welcome the call. Our only concern is that SERAP contradicted itself by also passing judgements. It would have stopped at the call for probe to show they meant well. But they went ahead to pass judgements and thereby jeopardising what should have been their innocent call for probe,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n

He cited two issues raised by the group; first the cost of building the statues which SERAP said \u201cmight cost N1 billion\u201d, second, the governor\u2019s inability to pay teachers\u2019 salaries and entitlement of pensioners\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cSERAP also said the statues might have cost N1 billion. Then, how would SERAP address the issue of cost again if at the end of the probes, the amount is either far higher or far below what they quoted?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

With the widespread criticisms over the cost of the statues, Mr. Onwuemeodo said the group should have waited for the probe to end before suggesting that the funds used were for the public.<\/p>\n

\u201cAgain, what if at the end of the probe, it is discovered that the statues were not funded from government\u2019s purse, when SERAP had already talked about \u2018apparent misuse of public resources\u2019?\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

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Mr. Onwuemeodo said Imo state was up to date in the payment of salaries.<\/div>\n
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PremiumTimes:<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gov. Rochas Okorocha\u200f [Photo Credit: Twitter – @GovernorRochas] RE: \u00a0SERAP asks CCB, ICPC to probe Okorocha over \u2018N1bn statues of Zuma, Johnson-Sirleaf\u2019 November 22, 2017: \u00a0The Imo state government has responded to the call by a human rights group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP demanding the probe of Governor Rochas Okorocha over the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nI\u2019m ready for probe for erecting Zuma, Johnson-Sirleaf statues \u2014 Okorocha blasts SERAP<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/nigerianews.ca\/im-ready-probe-erecting-zuma-johnson-sirleaf-statues-okorocha-blasts-serap\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"I\u2019m ready for probe for erecting Zuma, Johnson-Sirleaf statues \u2014 Okorocha blasts SERAP\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Gov. Rochas Okorocha\u200f [Photo Credit: Twitter – @GovernorRochas] RE: \u00a0SERAP asks CCB, ICPC to probe Okorocha over \u2018N1bn statues of Zuma, Johnson-Sirleaf\u2019 November 22, 2017: \u00a0The Imo state government has responded to the call by a human rights group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP demanding the probe of Governor Rochas Okorocha over the […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/nigerianews.ca\/im-ready-probe-erecting-zuma-johnson-sirleaf-statues-okorocha-blasts-serap\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Nigeria News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NigeriaNewsWeb\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-11-23T06:07:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/media.premiumtimesng.com\/wp-content\/files\/2017\/11\/Governor-Rochas-e1510149139118.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" 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