By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
Imo State government on Tuesday said the Justice Benjamin Iheaka-led Judicial Commission of Enquiry on Contracts awarded in Imo State only probed the administration of Rochas Okorocha, who governed the state between 2011 and 2019.
The Panel, which submitted its report to Governor Hope Uzodimma on Monday, said it uncovered a N106 billion scam, and recommended that those who played key roles in the contract awards be held liable.
Submitting the report at the Executive Chambers, Government House Owerri, Justice 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 there was fragrant disregard for due process and the Bureau for Public Procurement Act, leading to “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 N106 billion.
But in a statement released yesterday, the government said the probe covered between 2006 and 2019, which made some reporters to report that administrations before Okorocha’s were also indicted.
However, the Imo State government on Tuesday clarified that the probe was Okorocha administration specific.
The clarification was made via a statement by Oguwike Nwachuku, Media Adviser to Governor Uzodimma, titled “Imo Judicial Probe Panel on Contracts Award, Okoricha Regime Specific.”
The statement reads:
“Contrary to reports in some newspapers, the Justice Benjamin Iheaka Panel of Inquiry which investigated the award of contracts in Imo State is specific on the administration of former Governor Rochas Okorocha.
“Recall that the Panel submitted its report to Governor Hope Uzodimma on Monday, October 5, indicting the Okorocha regime and saying it uncovered fraudulent contracts worth N106 billion which the regime should be made to refund.
“The investigation covers the award of contracts during the period of Okorocha’s administration from 2011 to 2019 and not 2006 to 2019 as erroneously reported by some newspapers.
“Consequently, the report by a local newspaper, Nigerian Watchdog, that former Governors Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim are to refund N106 billion together with Okorocha should be ignored as the probe period did not extend to their regimes.
“The mix-up arising from the duration of the probe – 2011 to 2019 – and not -2006 to 2019 – is highly regretted.”
