Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has commended the Abia-born Nigerian Immigration Officer, Ugochukwu Prince Orji, who rejected a ₦10 Million bribe on the line of duty, saying that he would be celebrated in due course.
Governor Otti who commended Mr. Orji when he received in audience a 30-man delegation of the organizers and sponsors of the Oha Isiala Ngwa Grand Civic Reception/Appreciation in his honour for his visible achievements and impactful leadership in Isiala Ngwa and across the State, thanked the organizers of the grand civic reception/appreciation for the honour done him.
“Let me start by thanking you for bringing all our brothers and sisters together to organize the grand civic reception. It was so grandiose that when I entered the stadium, I was shocked. I was not expecting such crowd of over 10,000 people. All of them stayed till the end of the programme, very, very happy. I want to thank you and thank all the leaders.” Gov. Otti stated.
The State Chief Executive also thanked them for making contributions, tasking themselves to raise over ₦100 Million for the event, saying that such gesture from them would not be taken for granted and equally appreciated those who flew in from within and outside the shores of the country, adding that he was dumbfounded by what he described as an unprecedented show of love and promised to do more as a way of reciprocating the show of love.
The Governor commended the Nigerian Immigration Officer, Mr. Ugochukwu Promise Orji for performing his job very well, thereby demonstrating honesty and being a good ambassador of his community and Abia State.
“I have always made this point that we are straight forward people, we are not criminals. We don’t steal, we don’t cheat. Of course, out of every 12, there must be a Judas. Sometimes the Judas is so loud that he drowns the good jobs of the other 11.” he stated.
He explained that Abians are industrious and hardworking people who don’t depend on handouts for survival but would want to work and earn a decent living, and so, would reject gifts from questionable sources.
Recalling how he celebrated a Keke driver who recently returned a huge sum of money left in his Keke back to the owner, Governor Otti promised that he will celebrate also celebrate him.
He disclosed that he told his Enugu State counterpart, to start the celebration from there, and then he would round it off at home and stressed that there is so much to gain by being straightforward.
“The Whole idea is to also let people know that, there is so much to gain by being straightforward. There is so much to gain by rejecting bribes. ₦10 million is a lot of money, and you could do so much with it, but you rejected it. And, you rejected it because it is not earned…So, I want to encourage you to continue to serve in a straightforward manner. This example you have shown, hold on to it.
Governor Otti further encouraged the honest Immigration officer not to let anybody make him feel bad or discouraged about what he did and thanked him for representing Abia State very well, assuring that he would be celebrated in due course.
Mr. Ugochukwu Promise Orji, hails from Obikabia, Isiala Ngwa North LGA of Abia State.
Earlier in his speech, the leader of the delegation, Sen. Darlington Nwokocha, explained that they came to thank the Governor for accepting to be honoured and for honoring their invitation as well as to present their son, Mr. Ugochukwu Promise Orji, who made them proud by rejecting ₦10 Million inducement to compromise on the line of duty.
He explained that they came together on their own, agreed to celebrate the Governor, and happily contributed to doing so, noting that “The more we celebrate you, we are celebrating ourselves because you have really made us proud.”
In a vote of thanks, the Member representing Isiala Ngwa North and Isiala Ngwa South South in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe, thanked the Governor for accepting to be honoured even though he is not given to such public outing.
He thanked him for the promise he made to fix the Sam Ihesiulor stadium, Okpuala Ngwa, the venue of the grand civic reception as well as thanked his fellow organizers for joyfully contributing to the project.
The delegation was made of the Member representing Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency, Hon. Chief Collins Ugochukwu Iheonunekwu, captains of industries and political leaders from Isiala Ngwa North and South LGAs.
