FRAUD ALERT

FRAUD ALERT
The attention of the Abia State Social Investment Office has been drawn to a widely circulated advertorial by the campaign organization of one of the gubernatorial candidates in Abia State, calling on unsuspecting members of the public to pick up forms to acess GEEP loan under the Federal Government Social Investment Programme.
We would have ignored this act of wicked desperation but to ensure that we protect Abians from fraudulent exploitation by desperados, we wish to state unequivocally that such a scheme is non-existent.
For the record, GEEP loan is one of the 4 components of the Social Investment Programme managed through the state structures of the Social Investment Office. In June 2017, the office of the Vice President and the officials of the Bank of Industry (The funding agency for GEEP) were in Abia in a well attended event to launch GEEP. Since then over 30,000 Abians have benefited from the programme. GEEP as a programme is currently on hold while Tradermoni is on going. The invitation to members of the public to pick up GEEP application forms from a campaign office is false and another fraudulent measure to deceive Abians and coarse them into depositing their voting materials. GEEP loan is not a political tool but a line of credit for small scale business owners and Abia has since reached her allocated quota on the programme.
The National Social Investment Office have issued a fraud alert notice to avoid fifth columnist from defrauding innocent Nigerians.
It is on record that Abia State has been adjudged the frontline state in Southeast in the implementation and domestication of the Social Investment Programme to the admiration of the Federal Government. During one of his numerous visits to Abia the Vice President praised Governor Ikpeazu for his sterling performance in this regard. Nobody or entity should use such laudable and well structured programme as a political tool to hoodwink the public, such is not just wicked but evil. To exploit the current harsh economic conditions for personal political gains is most uncharitable and such persons must and should be avoided like a plague. Abians are invited to be more vigilant in the days ahead and they would continue to device other dubious strategies to deceive unsuspecting voters.
Finally, we call on all Abians never to surrender the details of their voters cards to anybody under the guise of Social Investment empowerment programmes, any request for details of voters card is illegal and fraudulent and such demand should be reported immediately to law enforcement agents. We are aware that as we prepare for election those who have nothing to offer will continue to clutch at anything but Abians should be wise to decipher their real motives.
The only office or body that administers the Social Investment Programmes in any state of the Federation is the office of the Focal Person on Social Investment Programme. The feat achieved by the Abia State Social Investment Office was made possible by the personal attention and support from Governor Ikpeazu.
Chinenye Nwaogu
Focal Person on Social Investment, Abia State