A new ultra modern church building complex valued at billions of naira, belonging to New Wave Assembly Ministry whose General Overseer is one (Mrs) Henrietta Jacobs who doubles as the Chairman of Imo State Board of Internal Revenue is causing mixed reactions and ripples as lips are presently waging and questions raised as to the source of the funds for such gigantic project.
The magnificent church building said to be larger than Catol Owerri or same in size to Assumpta Cathedral sprawls on large hectares behind Shoprite Shopping Mall on Egbu Road near Otamiri located on the same vicinity with Uche Nwosus poultry farms has become a source of concern and suspicion recently.
There are speculations that it might have been built with public funds going by recent depletion in the states Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
A source close to the General Overseer, indicated that prior to her appointment as chairman of Imo Board of Internal Revenue against the civil service rule having not been a staff of the board, the General Overseer hired a low class apartment at Ikenegbu Layout when she was conducting her religious worship but soon after her appointment as Chiarman of Imo Board of Internal Revenue she bought and renovated a posh mansion for herself and family now located at Egbeada Housing Estate.
There are speculations also that the lady may have been diverting the state IGR for her private use which is essentially why Imo State in recent times could only boast of generating only N600million monthly when states like Enugu with lower revenues base could boast of N2billion monthly.
Some Imolites and a few worshippers at the church are aghast and have been querying the source of Henrietta Jacobs’ sudden wealth for such project in so short a period of time.
A source close to New Wave Assembly told our roving reporter that the edifice and cost of its erection should not be a source of concern as it is God’s doing and that members make huge donations and contributions every Sunday for the project.
He narrated that both the land on which the new generation church building situates and the church itself were all accomplished since their General Overseer assumed office as Chairman Imo Board of Internal Revenue it was only her dexterity and foresight that brought the fulfillment of the gigantic project into being and needs no questions or investigations.
Effort to reach Pastor Jacobs who had earlier threatened to sue our Newspaper should we expose the fraud going in the BIR proved abortive as she ignored our reporter’s calls and text messages sent to her mobile phone.It was also discovered that Jacobs had through her sister,Ragis Okpara,a close confidant of governor Rochas Okorocha sacked other directors of the board.
