Friday, 31 August 2018
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission has in custody the Managing Director, Rock Marine Services Limited, Mr. Essien Elijah for allegedly attempting to swindle the Akwa Ibom State Government of over N184million.
Elijah had written to the EFCC, alleging that four Akwa Ibom people: the Commissioner for Transport and Petroleum Resources, Mr. Orman Esin, Technical Assistant in the Bureau of Technical Matters, Mr. Victor Akai, Director of Administration, Ministry of Transport and Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ekerete Edo, and the Finance Consultant accredited by the Bureau of Technical Matters, Mr. Idongesit Bassey, had swindled his company of over N184million under the pretence of concessioning Marine Terminal at Oron to Rock Marine Services Limited.
It was learnt that the EFCC was said to have exonerated the Akwa Ibom State government after investigations found nothing incriminating on the government and subjected Elijah to investigations.
In a release reacting to the allegation as contained in a media report that officials of the State government obtained N184, 235,450.89 million under false pretence of concessioning the Marine Terminal at Oron, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh said the allegation was an attempt by the company to slander the government, noting that the company was not able to show proof of its capacity to take up the project.
Udoh, who said the government is commitment to ensuring that the State remains a safe haven for foreign direct investment and genuine investors, added that the actions of Elijah forced the government to petition him to the EFCC.
“That the Akwa Ibom State government is In no way committed or indebted to Rock Marine Services. That the said allegation is a desperate attempt by Rock Marine Services to slander the State Government in a bid to circumvent due process and unduly influence the legal process.
“That Rock Marine approached the state government for the concessioning of the Marine terminal at Oron, but was unable to show adequate proof of capacity to embark on a project of such magnitude including proof-of-funds and evidence of competence and technical partnership.
“That the State Government has petitioned Rock Marine Services to the EFCC for thorough investigation and prosecution,” he said .
Reacting to the issue, Commissioner for Transport and Petroleum, Mr Orman Esin, described Elijah as a fraudster, stating that from the onset, Elijah failed to show competence to handle a project of such magnitude.
He mentioned that Elijah had approached the state government with a proposal for the development of Oron Jetty in Oron Local Government Area of the State, but failed to meet the government’s demand to produce technical partners and other evidences of competence to handle to job.
Esin explained that the state government turned down the plan to sign a MoU with the company due to the company’s inability to convince the state of its genuineness.
Meanwhile, Akwa Ibom State government has described as untrue and unfounded report by Managing Director, Rock Marine Services Limited, Mr. Essien Elijah, that officials of the state government obtained N184,235,450.89 under false pretence of concessioning the marine terminal at Oron.
In a statement signed by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh and made available to newsmen in Uyo yesterday, the state wondered why Elijah had to keep such alleged fraud until now.
The commissioner, who said he was not surprised at such unwarranted and spurious allegation, especially as election period was just by the corner, stressed that the government under Udom Emmanuel was ready at anytime to put the records of such allegations straight.
“The Akwa Ibom State Government is in no way committed or indebted to Rock Marine Services.
The said allegation is a desperate attempt by Rock Marine Services to slander the state government in a bid to circumvent due process and unduly influence the legal process.
“That Rock Marine approached the state government for the concessioning of the marine terminal at Oron, but was unable to show adequate proof of capacity to embark on a project of such magnitude, including proof of funds and evidence of competence and technical partnership.
“That the state government has petitioned Rock Marine Services to the EFCC for thorough investigation and prosecution,” the statement said.
According to the commissioner, the managing director of Rock Marine Services Limited had earlier written to the EFCC alleging that he was swindled by the state government officials, but after due investigations and having found nothing incriminating on the part of the state government, the EFCC was said to have exonerated the government but rather subjected the managing director of the firm to investigatook.
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