By Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia
A new dimension to last month’s freezing of Abia State government’s accounts has emerged, as the state government, yesterday, threatened to seal banks in the state, which continue to disobey the order of court to reverse/de-freeze the accounts.
The Secretary to the state government (SSG), Chris Ezem, a lawyer, in a statement, expressed the state government’s surprise that the court granted such order upon which the state government’s accounts were frozen.
He stated that the state government has, therefore, directed all banks that have transactions with it to resume normal transactions without further delay, adding that any bank that fails to obey the vacation order will risk being sealed by the state government.
The SSG, in his statement, recalled that last month, by an ex parte order of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, the state government accounts were frozen despite its lack of jurisdiction. He noted, however, that the order has since been vacated.
According to him, the state government observed with dismay the unpatriotic and mischievous activities of some people, who are bent on undermining laudable legacies and achievements of the current administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
He warned those he described as mischief makers, who are bent on stalling smooth and peaceful transition of power in the state through unnecessary litigations, to stop forthwith, stating that the Ikpeazu administration has invested so much on peace and security, and will not be drawn into the unfortunate plan to foist anarchy on citizens.
It was gathered that the affected banks were yet to get directive to de-freeze the accounts from their headquarters, which are to be served with the court order/s and not their branches.
A manager of one of the banks in Umuahia, the state capital, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “We, at the branches, cannot delay de-freezing government accounts if directed accordingly by our management.”
Another manager of another bank branch in the state said: “The onus lies in government to prove that affected banks have been duly and appropriately served with the court order to vacate its freezing order.”
The state governor-elect, Dr. Alex Otti, who is a renowned banker and former top bank Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, was being accused of influencing the suit that promoted the freezing order. But this accusation has been debunked in different quarters and times.
Source: The Guardian
