CONTRACT SCAM: Udenwa, Ohakim, Okorocha To Refund N106b, Judicial Commission Of Enquiry Recommends

The Judicial Commission of Enquiry on Contracts awarded in Imo State between 2006 and 2019 has submitted its report to Governor Hope Uzodimma and recommended that those who played key roles in the contract awards that turned out to be a scam and which the enquiry had uncovered be made to return a whopping N106 billion (one hundred and six billion naira)  to the government.

Following Governor Uzodimma’s resolve to recover all monies misappropriated by the past administration, the first Civilian Governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa and his immediate successor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim who administered the State for only four years are reported to have been fingered.

Meanwhile, Chief Rochas Okorocha whose reign of eight years has been described by many as a curse was also alleged to be deep into fraudulent contracts that brought the state to its knees.

It has been reported variously by many news platform over the misnomer under his adninistration to the extent that most contracts awarded by him were dubiously handled. Issue of Zigreat that had no office location remains one of the many conduits through which Okorocha allegedly frittered away the state commonwealth.

The Peoples Democratic Party short-lived government of eight months led by Emeka Ihedioha may not also be free looking at the period under review, which is between 2006 and 2019. There has been controversy of claims and counter claims on percentage of the contract sum that was paid during Ihedioha’s short stay in government.

Submitting the report at the Executive Chambers, Government House Owerri on Monday, the Chairman, Justice Benjamin Iheaka explained that “there were monumental fraud that were orchestrated by the contractors in the period under review with strong collusion with some civil servants who helped in the fraud which was evidenced in over-pricing of the value of the contracts executed in the State.”

The report said that there were fragrant disregard for due process and the rules of Bureau for Public Procurement Act in the Imo State which was exhibited in “outrageous contract pricing and shady contract executions as well as payment for non performing contracts.”

Justice Iheaka also said there were evidences of non-existing and phoney companies that were used to siphon State Government funds to the tone of N106billion.

The Chairman therefore appealed to the Governor not to sweep their report and recommendations under the carpet, but to do whatever is in his power to ensure that those indicted are made to return the monies.

The Commission, however, indentified some civil servants who were honest, dedicated and resisted every pressure by the contract scammers to use their offices to defraud the State Government during the period under review.

Receiving the report, Governor Uzodimma assured that all those indicted and identified in the report as having played a role in frittering away public funds through criminal ways will be made to return them.

He said the opportunity will be given to them to return the monies as the state is in dire need of funds to deal with pressing developmental issues in the face of dwindling resources.

The Governor assured that in few days government will set-up a Review Committee that will look at the documents submitted by the Commission and produce a Whitepaperthat will give Government the actual direction to follow in implementing the report in full.

He said the mood in the state indicates that the people are anxious to know what government will do with the report and others before it.

He therefore and assured the Chairman and his members that much as Government will not witch-hunt anyone unnecessarily, it will definitely not shy away from implementing to the letter, the recommendations on those who willfully fleeced the state of her scarce resources to serve as a deterrent to future criminals.

He commended the members for taking time to do a thorough job considering the intricacies of their assignment which warranted their visiting project sites and asking difficult questions and said Government will surely show appreciation for their sacrifices.

Present at the submission were the Chief of Staff, Government House, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, some members of the expanded executive council, and other government appointees.

All members of the Commission, including the Secretary, Dame Comfort Obi were in attendance.