Nda Ethel was born in 1928 making her eighty years this year; remember she is my grandfathers’ sister. Nda is in great health save for the odd arthritis here and there. She is one hundred percent mobile and very sprightly but most remarkably, her faculties are very, very intact. Very intact that she reads The Economist magazine, in my last trip to Nigeria, which was in March this year, I gave her previous copies of The Economist magazine that I have saved.

You can guess by now that Nda is very educated, yes very educated for her generation. She attended primary school at Owerri in the 1930’s and progressed from there. At school in 1938, she was the sprint champion in the then 110 and 220 yards for Owerri province. The records might not be there anymore in any Imo  State government held records for the government like Nigerian government is a joke. But Nda still holds on to her records dearly, but more so the British government still holds the record at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. I, Odenigbo have seen them. What a great country UK is?

After Nda’s education she started work in the 1950’s with the then Easter Nigerian civil service at the hospital sector to East  Central  State government and finally retired in the 80’ as an employee of Imo state government, so her pension liability lies with Imo state government.

Since retirement Nda’s pension payment has been erratic, infact very erratic. Pension payment is a statutory obligation for any government. It is a legal contract between the pensioners and the government, it is not a favour by the government to the pensioners but in Nigeria and more especially in Imo state, this appears to be the case. The government religiously breaks its own side of the agreement. The government just does not honour its obligation to pensioners. When pension payments are made, the government makes a big deal in the media about it as if they are doing pensioners a favour whereas all it is doing is keeping its own side of a contract. But that is Nigeria for you.

Nda was last paid her pension by the Imo state government in 2002 under then Governor Achike Udenwa. Yet in every budget, pension payments are factored in. What then happens to the money? Achike Udenwa is today walking the streets a free man rather than been locked up by EFCC for embezzling Nda’s pension. That EFCC, I do not understand how they function but lets leave the issue for another day.

How Nda and the rest of Imo state pensioners have been surviving only God knows but the Lord God always looks after his people and has been looking after Nda and the rest. Looking after Nda so well that people doubt her age. But there are other pensioners that just need their money to survive for that is all they have got and in Imo state (and other states) they are denied this pittance that are factored in yearly in every budget. The big question then is: what happens to funds budgeted for pension payments? Imo state government, what has been happening to Nda’s money?

Achike Udenwa’s government we all know was a disaster, the government that sank so low embezzling Nda’s pension. But then enters Ikedi Ohakim’s government in 2007 shouting from the rooftops like Pentecostals; how they are the messiah come to save Imo state, come to resurrect Biafra, come to salvage Nigeria but most importantly come to pay Nda her pension. Unfortunately, very unfortunately since May 2007 to date, Governor Ohakim has failed to pay Nda her pension. It is rather sad and indeed pathetic that Governor Ohakim has sank as low as Achike Udenwa in misappropriating Nda’s pension. How did I know? Provisions were made for the payment in 2007 and 2008 budgets and yet to date Governor Ohakim has refused to pay Nda her money, her legal entitlement. Ochinanwata, what has Nda done to you?

A visit to Imo state government website on http://www.imostate.gov.ng under subheadings Projects Update and/or Activity Reports shows totally blank reports. Does this imply nothing is happening in Imo state under Governor Ohakim, projects or activity speaking? Are they so busy feasting on Nda’s pension that they have forgotten why they are in office?

This Easter period, a certain Chief Longers Anyanwu, who styles himself as the Imo state commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources have been announcing to people that his government via his ministry have rice for sale at subsidised prices. How subsidised I do not know. But more importantly how does Chief Anyanwu expect Nda whom they owe her pension to afford the rice or are pensioners like Nda excluded from savouring the pleasures of rice in Ohakim’s Imo state. This appears to be the case. This I believe. Hence the title of this article: The Miserable Plight of Imo  State Pensioners.

This is a true story, my great aunt, Ethelbert Orji who dutifully served Imo state government for over 40 years, now eighty years of age has had her pension entitlement embezzled by the government of Imo state. Nda Ethel can be reached on telephone on +44 (0) 7956367576 for verification.

Odenigbo Chidi Anyaeche

London

UK

Robot  # 1 | 24.03.2008 11:02

This is a true story; it is the story about my great aunt, Ethelbert. We call her Nda Ethel or Nda ...Read the full article.

WayoGuy  # 2 | 24.03.2008 12:15

It is rather sad and indeed pathetic that Governor Ohakim has sank as low as Achike Udenwa in misappropriating Nda’s pension. Chidi, you may be on to something here. Strange stories are developing in Imo State now.... Let's keep our ears open ... very sad.

cdimkpa  # 3 | 24.03.2008 12:39

A certain rumour is gaining currency that Ohakim was ''arrested'' in the UK last week with tons and tons of UK pound sterlings. Was that the pensioners' money he was ferrying to a ''safe haven''. The story is indeed unfolding.

philipikita  # 4 | 24.03.2008 13:39

=cdimkpa;4294998692>A certain rumour is gaining currency that Ohakim was ''arrested'' in the UK last week with tons and tons of UK pound sterlings. Was that the pensioners' money he was ferrying to a ''safe haven''. The story is indeed unfolding. From: http://www.amanaonline.com/Articles/art_6027.html Imo State First Lady and Masarrah Air rift lingers By Salisu Sayyadi Usman, Kano The controversy and the war of words that have rocked the hitherto cordial business dealing between the Imo state First Lady, Mrs. Chioma Ohakim and Masarrah Air Services, a Kano based travel agency with branches in Lagos and Abuja is unabated as the company have replied the former that it is not out to blackmail and extort her as she alleged. In a press release titled, Re: Hotel Debt Scam, I am the victim_ Mrs. Ohakim and dated January 30, 2008, an email copy of which was made available to our correspondent, Managing Director of Masarrah Air Services, Mrs. Balquis El-Daw Chamie said instead, the ignorance of the practicing standards in the aviation industry on the part of the First Lady and her aides as well as friends have led largely to the controversy and breakdown in communication. The company therefore insisted that it must be paid the sum of N640, 000. 00 owed it by the Mrs. Ohakim otherwise it will seek legal redress, while assuring that if its fees for services rendered is paid, and the First Lady show proof of documents revealing she flew economy class instead of first class she paid for, the airline will refund her balance in line with provision of the International Air Travel Association (IATA) regulation, adding that this shouldn’t lead to withholding the company’s money for the accommodation provided her while on the said trip to Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE) last September. ______________________________________________________________________________ Imo governor’s wife in hotel debt palaver in Dubai Nigerians in high places will not cease to amaze the discerning public as they use every available opportunity they possess to oppress, not just the unprivileged, but even the endowed that they can; especially if those not holding political offices. They do this in so many ways, both in the political, traditional, religious, social and business spheres. The case in hand now can be likened to executive lawlessness which has been taken a step further by the wife of Mr. Ikedi Ohakim, the governor of Imo state whose wife, Mrs. Chioma Ohakim is at the centre of a storm over a soured business deal and in which she has deployed her state powers to intimidate a service provider who trusted her at the initial stage. The governor’s wife have stoically refused to pay for services rendered her by a leading travels and tour operator based in Kano and Lagos, Masarrah Air Services and its sister company, Alfurat Bridge General Trading, situated in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE). Though, the Imo state First Lady was revealed to have confessed enjoying the services she received on her nine days sojourn in Dubai , why she has refused to pay up the expenses incurred for the same services she described as second to none is still a matter of surprise to many. Besides, why she would not pay the amount, which is a conservative sum of N640, 000. 00; that is 18, 250. 00 Dirhams (as the Dubai currency is known) or 5, 000 US Dollars due to the very fantastic discount she was offered by the Kano-based outfit have continued to baffled discerning observers. It would be recalled that the First Lady was in Dubai about three months ago, in September to be precise, on a shopping spree, but ran out of cash at a point which made her request for deferred payment for the services rendered her by the travels operator whose account had already been debited by the Taj Palace Hotel, Dubai in the United Arab Emirate where she lodged. At the Taj Palace Hotel located off Maktoum Road, Deira, Dubai, the Imo state governor’s wife was accorded a five-star treatment, coupled with the reasonable rebate she got in line with the cordial relationship Masarrah Air Services and Alfurat Bridge General Trading has with the hotel. Independent investigations revealed that Mrs. Chioma Ohakim may soon be dragged to a law court to answer charges of cheating and betrayal of trust since she had turned down every entreaty to pay up; including snubbing a letter written to her on behalf of the Kano based travel agency by its legal representatives, J.Y. Musa & Co based in Kano . What the company received after sometime was when her lawyer reached out to Masarrah’s legal counsel saying that the company would be dragged before Nigeria ’s anti-graft body, the Economic and Financial Crimes commission (EFCC). At another time, one of her aides said she boasted she is a lawyer and by that simple fact, she would sue the company and whoever is behind it, for making her travel economy class on her return trip back to the country. But the travels and tour outfit asserted that, she did not confirm her first class tickets on time and so on flight day, she was relegated to the economy class instead of the First Class which she so desired and which she think befits her as a governor’s spouse. Emirates Airlines, just as every other, do not consider class or status in giving preference to its customers, but on ‘first come, first serve basis’ which was what applied with the Imo state First Lady. She simply turned up late to confirm her return ticket, and when the compartment was filled she was stepped down to economy class. It was as simple as that, a source confirmed. Masarrah Air Services which informed newsmen that the company had handled travel arrangements for its wide range of high-profile clienteles in the past, and some on credit basis which it enters into based on trust has never experienced the kind of ill treatment Mrs. Ohakim has meted on it. The company is equally amazed why the Imo First Lady should resort to unethical standard just to avoid paying up a paltry N640, 000. 00; which she genuinely incurred. She is said to have torn off the boarding passes on her travel document to cover up trails of the trip to the Far East country, even though her motives are not explained; just as the purpose for the trip. Surprisingly too, she is revealed to have turned the heat on the hapless travel agency by threatening to report it to the EFCC if it does not desist from pestering her to pay up the debt. But managing director of Masarrah Air Services, Mrs. Bilkis El Daw in an encounter told newsmen neither she nor her company can be intimidated as it is the First Lady herself who should be dragged to the anti-graft body for her dubious action which is very unbecoming of someone occupying an exalted position like hers. Though, further checks indicated that the Imo state governor’s wife was supposed to have paid up before leaving Dubai for Nigeria, she however sought for more time; promising to pay up on reaching the country. She may have over-shot her budget due to her spending spree; because she was said to be highly fascinated and overwhelmed by the exquisite and beautiful items she came across while shopping, most of which she had confided she had never been opportune to see all her life. Her request for deferred payment was granted innocently by the company and in good faith based on trust and her personality, moreso, as she promised to settle the debt without delay on arrival in Nigeria . However, officials of the company were jolted to their bone marrow when she remained adamant upon reaching the country, but instead, resorted to playing pranks and threatening hell and hailstorm. The travels company is even more surprised, not knowing what she intended to achieve by detaching the boarding pass from her tickets, moreso, because it is expected that she should be knowledgeable enough to know that no travel document is stamped unless there is a boarding pass affixed to it. But how did it all get started. Going by some correspondences that emanated from Masarrah Air Services and Alfurat Bridge General Trading as well as Taj Palace Hotel on the one hand, and Mr. John Uzoma, the Protocol Officer to the First Lady, Mrs. Chioma Ohakim on the other, copies of which are in possession of our correspondent, it was observed that the transaction was cordial at every point until it reached payment time where she pleaded for more time; albeit verbally. For instance, in a letter dated 01st September 2007 from Alfurat Bridge General Trading located on Plot 129 Al-Maktoum Street, Dubai and addressed to the Reservation Manager of Taj Palace Hotel titled, ‘Ref: Hotel Reservation (Mrs. Chioma Ohakim)’, it reads, “Reference to our phone conversation earlier today regarding the above, we would like to make a reservation for One Unit of Two Bedroom apartment with the following details”. Name of Guest: Mrs. Chioma Ohakim, Date of Check in: 03rd September 2007, Date of Arrival: 04th September 2007, Check in Time: 02:40AM, Flight Details: EK 784 from Lagos , Check Out Date: 11th September 2007, Duration of Stay: 9 days, Confirmation No.: 251755. “Kindly confirm the room rate for the period of stay and debit our account accordingly with the room rates only. We wish to remind you that any extra expenses or bills such as laundry, phone calls, meals, room service etc, will be borne by the guest before they check out of the hotel. Your usual cooperation will be highly appreciated”, the letter signed by one N.A. Chamie for Alfurat Bridge General Trading LLC concluded. The Protocol Officer to the Imo state First Lady, Mr. John Uzoma had sent an internet message to Mrs Bilkis El Daw stating, “Madam, Good day ma, and hows work? The address of the Imo State Governor’s lodge at Abuja is 42 Jose Marti Street , Asokoro, Abuja . The phone number of the contact man, Mr Nnadi is 08053399452. Please note that the hotel accommodation should be up to 10th September, 2007. Regards”, to which came a reply via the internet too. Another internet correspondence dated Saturday, 1 September 2007 from Bilkis El Daw email to John Uzoma but signed by N.A Chamie whose subject matter is simply ‘Re: Imo inf’ have it that “We have made the hotel reservation for Mrs. Chioma Ohakim with the following details: Name of Hotel: TAJ PALACE HOTEL OFF MAKHOUM ROAD, DEIRA, DUBAI. Confirmation No.: 251755, Check in Date: 03/09/2007, Arrival Date: 04/09/2007, Departure Date: 11/09/2007. The booking is for a Two Bedroom Apt. The walk-in guest rate from 03/09/2007 and upto 06/09/2007 is 1, 980. 00 Dhs. per day. The walk-in guest rate from 07/09/2007 and upto 11/09/2007 is 2, 550. 00 Dhs. Per day. However, our corporate rate that we will charge the guest will be 1, 750. 00 Dhs and 2, 250. 00 Dhs respectively. The total hotel rate will be as follows. From 03/09/2007-06/09/2007, ie 4 Nights @ 1, 750. 00 = 7, 000. 00 Dirhams. From 07/09/2007-11/09/2007, ie 5 Nights @ 2, 250. 00 = 11, 250. 00 Dirhams. The total amount for the basic rate of the apartment inclusive of taxes will be 18, 250. 00 Dhs which is equivalent to USD 5, 000 or Naira 640, 000. 00 Only. Kindly note that the above rates do not include the extra services such as room service, laundry, phone calls etc. These extra expenses are usually settled by the guest before checking out of the hotel. Please note that since the passengers are first class ticket holders, their transport from the airport to the hotel will be taken care of by the Emirates Airlines. We hope that the above details will suffice and should you require any clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us. We wish you a pleasant stay in Dubai . Best Regards. N.A Chamie. For: Masarrah Air Services”, the message is contained. Similarly, another internet message from N.A Chamie on behalf of Alfurat Bridge General Trading dated Sunday 2nd September with subject title, ‘RE: Reservation of 2-Bed Room Apt. (Mrs Chioma Ohakim)01-09-2007’ to Taj Palace Hotel reads, “Dear Mr. Kamal, Thank you for the confirmation of the booking. Our guest will be arriving Dubai in the early hours of the 04th of Sept 2007 on EK 784 from Lagos . She does not require airport pickup. Kindly note that you will debit our account with the room rate only and any other expenses or bills should be settled by the guest before checking out of the hotel as we discussed with you. Kindly inform the front desk staff and your billing department of same”. This one was also signed by N. A Chamie. The hotel’s response to Chamie read thus: “Greetings from Taj Palace Hotel, Dubai …We thank you for your reservation at Taj Palace Hotel Dubai and we are pleased to confirm your reservation as follows: - Guest Name: Mrs Chioma Ohakim, Confirmation No.: 251755, Company/Travel agent: Alfurat Bridge, Arrival date: 03/09/2007, Flight Details: Awaited, Airport Pickup: Not Requested, Airport pick Charges: AED 60.00, Departure Date: 11/09/2007, No. of Rooms: 1 Unit, Room Type: 2 Bed Room Apartments”. From the above quoted correspondences and some verbal submissions by the First Lady for enjoying good quality services, it is then surprising that controversy has continued to trail the transaction. Already, the legal counsel to Masarrah Air Services, Barrister J.Y. Musa had in a letter dated October 17th 2007 and addressed to the First Lady titled, ‘In the Matter of your Indebtedness to Masarrah Air Services’ informed her that it had been mandated to request her to pay up the sum of N640, 000. 00 for her accommodation at the Dubai hotel in three days, failure for which legal actions would be taken against her. In the letter copied to the executive governor, the Chief Protocol Officer as well as Masarrah Air Services, it stated that “Our instruction reveals that our client procured your traveling documents to Dubai which include your visa and hotel accommodation in Dubai from the 3rd to 11th day of September, 2007…. Upon your return from Dubai you returned two tickets to our client’s offices and without any complaints. The said used tickets are without their boarding pass. Well, we wish to state that having stayed in the hotel which was booked; reserved and paid for by our client for you, it behooves you to pay our client the sum of $5, 000 (USD) dollars or the N640, 000. 00 (Six hundred and forty thousand naira). We hold you and your office as the First Lady of Imo State in high esteem and would not want you or the office ridiculed because of an amount so insignificant as this. Our client is in business for profit making and not a charitable organization and this letter gives you an opportunity to prevent further legal tussle between yourself and our client”, it noted. The letter went on to say that consequent upon the foregoing, Mrs. Ohakim should pay the said amount through its office within three days from the date contained in the letter to her, as it will be left with an irresistible conclusion that she wants the matter to go public including a resort to judicial process. END

Chidi Anyaeche  # 5 | 25.03.2008 10:56

Wayo Guy I totally agree with you. The true situation on the ground in Imo state may soon be revealed. Cheers Odenigbo Chidi Anyaeche

docokwy  # 6 | 25.03.2008 13:09

Not too fast, WayoGuy and CDimkpa: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), today denied reports in the media that Imo State governor, Ikedi Ohakim was interrogated and arrested in the United Kingdom based on a security report it issued. “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to some reports in the media alleging that law enforcement agencies in London, UK, acting on some “Security report” from the Commission, arrested and questioned Imo State governor, Mr. Ikedi Ohakim.” The agency said in a statement released to the media signed by its spokesman, Osita Nwaja. “They are also reported to have, on the strength of the same “Security report”, confiscated large sums of money and documents found on the governor, after a search of his apartment.The Commission wishes to state that no such “Security report” was issued by it on Governor Ohakim and no such “report” was sent to any law enforcement agency within or outside Nigeria, with the intention to arrest or detain Governor Ohakim.” ”Further, EFCC checks with the law enforcement agencies mentioned do not bear out the stories of arrest and interrogation of the said Governor, either based on the spurious “Security” or other reports of the Commission.” The statement concluded. http://www.thetimesofnigeria.com/TON/Article.aspx?id=391 http://thepmnews.com/article/950

Bunch17  # 7 | 25.03.2008 13:15

=docokwy;4294998922>Not too fast, WayoGuy and CDimkpa: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), today denied reports in the media that Imo State governor, Ikedi Ohakim was interrogated and arrested in the United Kingdom based on a security report it issued. “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to some reports in the media alleging that law enforcement agencies in London, UK, acting on some “Security report” from the Commission, arrested and questioned Imo State governor, Mr. Ikedi Ohakim.” The agency said in a statement released to the media signed by its spokesman, Osita Nwaja. “They are also reported to have, on the strength of the same “Security report”, confiscated large sums of money and documents found on the governor, after a search of his apartment.The Commission wishes to state that no such “Security report” was issued by it on Governor Ohakim and no such “report” was sent to any law enforcement agency within or outside Nigeria, with the intention to arrest or detain Governor Ohakim.” ”Further, EFCC checks with the law enforcement agencies mentioned do not bear out the stories of arrest and interrogation of the said Governor, either based on the spurious “Security” or other reports of the Commission.” The statement concluded. http://www.thetimesofnigeria.com/TON/Article.aspx?id=391 http://thepmnews.com/article/950 This is digging the man into a hole and taking the already battered intergrity of EFCC with it. Do we have to start giving the names of the people who were arrested with him before this story is believed?

nijalaw  # 8 | 25.03.2008 13:17

=Robot;4294998672>Elders unlike in uncouth Anambra state are not addressed by their first names but revered, hence Nda. Chidi, Was there any need for you to insult the good people of Anambra State including myself. Based on this I found it difficult to sympathize with Ethel or is it Nda Ethel as you civilized Imo people say.

ikechiji  # 9 | 25.03.2008 13:20

EFCC is only "denying" that Ohakim was arrested and interrogated based on its "security report". As Bunch17 has pointed out on this thread, Ohakim was interrogated because an insider who was not adequately compensated spilled the beans not because of EFCC's wonderful investigative report. The question you should ask Ohakim is 1) Was he interrogated in London, and 2) Did the UK police seize any money from his hotel room. The sad part about all these looting governors is that they take the stolen loot and invest overseas, propping up the Western economies to the detriment of the Nigerian economy. =docokwy;4294998922>Not too fast, WayoGuy and CDimkpa: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), today denied reports in the media that Imo State governor, Ikedi Ohakim was interrogated and arrested in the United Kingdom based on a security report it issued. “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to some reports in the media alleging that law enforcement agencies in London, UK, acting on some “Security report” from the Commission, arrested and questioned Imo State governor, Mr. Ikedi Ohakim.” The agency said in a statement released to the media signed by its spokesman, Osita Nwaja. “They are also reported to have, on the strength of the same “Security report”, confiscated large sums of money and documents found on the governor, after a search of his apartment.The Commission wishes to state that no such “Security report” was issued by it on Governor Ohakim and no such “report” was sent to any law enforcement agency within or outside Nigeria, with the intention to arrest or detain Governor Ohakim.” ”Further, EFCC checks with the law enforcement agencies mentioned do not bear out the stories of arrest and interrogation of the said Governor, either based on the spurious “Security” or other reports of the Commission.” The statement concluded. http://www.thetimesofnigeria.com/TON/Article.aspx?id=391 http://thepmnews.com/article/950

Djister  # 10 | 25.03.2008 13:58

Na di same Night School DOCOKWY & OJEMBA GO? Doh! Go Figure! Djister I

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