Nyok|2 November 2018
Mr Noel Ugbong the Special Assistant (SA) – Administration, Department of Events and Management, Office of the Executive Governor, Cross River State has shed light into the controversy that greeted particularly the perceived shady financial management of the just concluded NorthFest pageantry which held recently NEGROIDHAVEN can say.
SA Ugbong disclosed that first, he had an official mandate in written form legitimising his financial action; secondly, he explained why he operated three accounts for the event: one account was for form's fees, the others were for camp/ticket's fees. He observed that he used his personal account for one of the fees to avoid conflicts and ensure financial accountability.
Ugbong made this known early this week in Calabar while addressing newsmen/bloggers. According to him, 'Going back on the issue of money, since the mandate did not say, pay the money into an account and the mandate is addressing me as a person, I can as well generate the money by hand and hold, what difference does it make that I am holding the money in my hand and then the thing is in my account.
'But, with an account, you can easily be audited, you can easily make your financial report. But, if there is an intent to cheat, I will prefer to collect the money by hand. Not to have it in an account.
'Because the mandate did not say I shouldn't collect money by hand. I was doing all of this in good faith. So that tomorrow I can be very accountable, that is why I used my account as one of the accounts.
'Otherwise, why should I say they should pay money for form in a different account, money for camp fee in a different account, it's all for the purpose of accountability.
'So, that I will know that this is the money for ticket through this account, this is money for form through this account. That is me, I always try to be accountable.'
For this year's (second) edition of the Northfest pageantry, Lifu Yokyshor Lifu from Ogoja emerged as Queen and Patrick Joseph Adie from Obudu local government area emerged King.
However, pundits have said succeeding editions should feature best practices where monies are lodged in corporate not personal accounts especially taking cognizance of financial probity.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is the Blogger-in-Chief, Editor-in-Chief & Publisher of NEGROIDHAVEN
