The immediate past State Director of the National Population Commission, NPC, Ebonyi State, Elder Omoke Nweze Njoku, Friday raised alarm over an alleged misappropriation of funds and mismanagement of the affairs of the NPC Abakaliki Staff Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society Limited in the State.
He described the development as unacceptable and an act capable of derailing the sole objective of establishing the Co-operative Society, which was formed about 17 years ago.
Briefing Newsmen in Abakaliki, Omoke who is the grand patron of NPCASMPCS stated that “most of the problems we are now witnessing started when the incumbent President and Financial Secretary finished their first and second terms in office in line with the provisions of section 26 (2) of the Nigeria Co-operative Society Degree No 90 and regulations 1993 and section 24 (3) and (4) of the subsidiary legislation thereto, and refused to vacate office as was our custom and went into due manipulations to justify their continued perpetration in office till day (year 2022)”.
According to him, the President of the Co-operative Society, Mrs. Nwakaego Nwachukwu had resisted all geninue efforts to enable her account for or audit the project monies spent without necessary explanation or cash analyses.
He further alleged that the President of the NPCASMPCS was operating the Society as her personal enterprise even as he alleged that members were being denied their enticements and the benefits accruable from the activities and economic ventures of the Society.
“Of particular interest is the unbridled approval of monies of the society without recourse to the appropriate organ of the society in accordance with the provision of the Co-operative Act Degree 90 of 1993 and the bye law of the society
“It is on record and open secret that the President in connivance with the apex leadership of the society approved and executed most projects by and for themselves being head of the critical Committees of the society such as finance, commodity sales and welfare Committees, respectively
“As a cover up of the dubious, fraudulent and unconstitutional acts of the President and Secretary, they recently printed and launched a new bye law which erodes full participation of the active and bonifide cooperators in the activities of the society and conferred enormous executive powers to them including prorogation of their tenures of office.
“Loans without approval of the appropriate organs of the Society and to non-members against the Co-operative principles were approved by the President and the Financial Secretary singlehandedly.
“Some of these arbitrary loans and others were neither recorded nor signed for in the pay register (payment voucher) of the Society indicative of grand design and dishonest intention to defraud and shortchange the Society and it’s entire membership.”
Reacting to the development, the President of NPCASMPCS, Mrs. Nwakaego Chinyere Nwachukwu who neither accepted nor refuted the allegations leveled against her and the Financial Secretary of the Co-operative, said as a civil servant she was not permitted to make public comments or inputs that might jeopardize her job.
According to her, the Co-operative Society is not my personal venture and so, as a representative of the people, I needed clearance to enable me speak on the matters raised.
