By Jethro Ibileke/Benin
The Edo State chapter of Traders Welfare Union of Nigeria, has dragged the leader of the State Market Women Association, Madam Blacky Omoregie Ogiamie, before the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), for allegedly pocketing the N100 million largesse allegedly given to traders in the State by the former Governor of the State, Adams Oshiomhole.
The Association, led by its President, Lucky Orukpe, on Friday presented a petition titled “Call to investigate the one hundred million naira (N100,000,000.00) grant received by Madam Blacky Omoregie Ogiamie on behalf of Edo Market Women, donated by Edo State government under Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole in 2013. Embezzlement of same grant suspected hence this petition.”
Copies of the petition were also submitted to the offices of State Director of the DSS and the State Commissioner of Police.
Orukpe said he was part of those who was asked to mobilize the women to the venue where the said money was announced.
“I, Comrade Lucky Orukpe, was aware of the said above mentioned grant for Edo Market Women.
“I also mobilised over one hundred Edo Market Women across the state with the knowledge and consent Madam Blacky Omoregie Ogiamie to the venue of the reception of Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, organized by Edo Market Women across the state in 2013.
“The Edo State Government gave one hundred million revolving, interest-free and non refundable grant to market women in Edo State, to boost their trade,” he said.
According to him, the purported grant for Edo Market Women was released to Madam Blacky on behalf of the market women in the State.
He further alleged that he has made series of investigations in the past eight years to know the beneficiaries of the grant in the 18 local government areas of the state has not pinpointed anyone who has benefitted from the said grant.
The said, flowing from his inability to have seen any beneficiaries, himself and his members are of the strong believe that the grant was mismanaged and embezzled by Madam Blacky, who collected the money on behalf of the market women in the state.
Amongst other things, the Traders Welfare Union of Nigeria President asked the anti graft agency and other relevant agencies to compel Madam Blacky to produce the full statement of account of those who benefitted from the grant.
He further asked the Commission to demand for verifiable names of beneficiaries of the grant, verifiable account numbers of the beneficiaries, valid phone numbers of the beneficiaries, number of market women from each senatorial district of the State that benefitted from the grant.
Orukpe said failure to provide such information means that Madam Omoregie eventually embezzled and mismanaged the said largess.
But in a swift reaction, the leader of the markets, Madam Blacky Omoregie Ogiamie, vehemently denied mismanaging or embezzling the said grant.
She advised the President of the Traders Welfare Union of Nigeria to go and wake up the dead traders to also find out if they were given their own share of the grant, even as she insisted that the money was equitably shared to market women across the State.