From Imo, Trails of Okorocha’s Maladministration
For eight years, former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha ran the state like a private entity, leaving behind a legacy of regrets, writes Amby Uneze
It is no longer news that Imo State under former governor Rochas Okorocha was entirely ran like a family affair instead of a public service that supposedly needed to be accountable to the people of the state. Previous administrations in the state had managed the affairs of the state without any trace of embezzlement or stigma of maladministration hanging around their necks after leaving office; they also ran the state affairs with human face, having in mind that there would be a day of accountability to the people of the state.
In the case of Okorocha, he administered the state as if it was a conquered territory, where nobody could ask questions about the state of the state. He believed that for the next three decades, his family would hold sway in the affairs of the state, not considering the mercurial nature of Imo people.
Going by his permutation, which gave rise to why he handled the state economy in the manner he did, it was his belief that since he had eight years, and should his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu go for another eight years, while one of his sons would eventually take over from Nwosu for another eight years, then Imo State would have been a subjugated entity of the Okorochas.
Imo people are posing pertinent questions that need urgent answers. How justifiable is it that Okorocha could award 12 contracts worth N20 billion to a company he formed that had no physical address and never paid tax to any government? And who are the directors of Zigreat International Company Limited.
If Okorocha could award frivolous contracts to his own company between November 15, 2013, and November 3, 2017 amounting to a whopping N20 billion, who knows the name of the company his wife, Nkechi; daughter, Uloma and husband, Uche must have used for their own contracts and in what region?
What about the sisters and brothers who became multi millionaires overnight? Okorocha’s Principal Secretary, Paschal Obi, who was prior to 2011, was living in a 3-bedroom flat somewhere in Amakohia as a level 13 officer in the States Ministry of Health is now a multibillionaire. Same Obi has worked his way to the National Assembly representing Ideato South/Ideato North federal constituency.
It is compulsory for any contract award to pass through procurement process otherwise called ‘due process’, but Okorocha’s contracts were in violation of the public procurement act.
According to the act, to bid for contracts, a company needs to present three years tax clearance, audited accounts, evidence of work experience as the main contractor executing or having executed a minimum of four (4) projects of similar complexity, evidence of possession of relevant machinery and equipment and scanned copies of certificates of technical/professional staff of the company.
Report has it that Zigreat International Company Limited, which lacked all the requirements of the public procurement act, got its first contract from Okorocha’s government three months after it registered at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Okorocha’s government had awarded a N700 million contract to it for the construction of a tower.
From the records made available to THISDAY, the first contract awarded to Zigreat International Company Limited was the construction of Akachi – The Hand of God in Owerri, the state capital at cost of N700 million.
In a letter dated November 15, 2013, Paschal Obi, then principal secretary to the governor, told Zigreat that 25 per cent of N700 million would be made available as mobilisation fee.
“I am directed to refer to your quotation of the above
contract and to convey His Excellency’s approval that your company Zigreat Intl. Coy. Ltd. undertakes the contract for the Construction of Akachi (Hand of God) at a total contract sum of N700,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred Million Naira) Only..
“In line with Government Policy on contracts, you are requested to indicate acceptance in writing without delay. You should report to the Principal Secretary to the Governor, Government House, Owerri for details and signing of Contract Agreement, please,” the letter stated.
Okorocha also gave approval to N683 million for the construction of Community Health Hospital in Ogboko, Ideato South local government area, his hometown and till date, the hospital is uncompleted and the place is in ruins.
Another contract was awarded for over N689 million for the office blocks of the Ministry of Happiness and Purposeful Fulfillment headed by Ogechi Ololo, Okorocha’s sister.
Again, N5.9 billion was awarded for the construction of police headquarters, phase 1, Owerri and another N4.3 billion for the construction of police headquarters, phase 2, Owerri.
The former governor in his usual jamboree manner in awarding contracts that lacked due process and specifications between 2016 and 2017, approved the construction of Imo State University of Agriculture and Environment in Aboh/Okpala at N3.7 billion; reconstruction of subtreasury building for conversion to Government House clinic at N210 million; construction of Ministry of Niger Delta office blocks at N611 million.
In spite of the fact that the State has one of the best Secretariats that houses most of the ministries, Okorocha awarded the construction of ministry of agriculture office blocks at N611 million; construction of ministry of tourism office blocks at N630 million; construction of IMSU campus at Onuimo at N2.79 billion, and construction of ministry of sport office blocks at N690 million.
Some of the contracts were not completed before the end of his tenure in May 2019 and none of them passed through public scrutiny.
The Association of Imo State Indigenous Town Unions and student groups recently protested against Okorocha’s maladministration, urging Governor Emeka Ihedioha to bring his predecessor to account for his numerous misdeeds while holding sway as governor.
President of the Imo State Indigenous Town Unions, Emeka Diwe, who presented the grievances of the group in a letter, said under the Okorocha’s administration, public assets were allegedly converted into private use.
“The eight years that Okorocha held sway as Governor of Imo State were characterised by unprecedented and unbridled plunder of our common patrimony.
“During the ruinous misrule of Okorocha, Imo went through a sort of untold financial hemorrhage, as resources were frittered away and public assets looted and converted to private use.
“As if that was not enough, Okorocha so cruelly plunged the State into irredeemable debt slavery to the tune of over N200 billion, a debt stock that will remain unpayable even by ten generations unborn.
“Yet under the watch of Okorocha, the bailout funds to Imo State inexplicably disappeared at the residence of his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, and he neither budged nor stirred.”
Prominent Imo sons and daughters are not left in condemning the ill-fated administration of Okorocha.
A former governorship candidate of Independent Democrat (ID), Ike C. Ibe, said “while I was campaigning to be governor of Imo State across the 305 wards, one recurring statement I made was that ‘any governor who takes over from Rochas Okorocha will go through hell and must find a way to create a new economy and finds fresh resources to rebuild Imo State.
“It is no longer news that 2011 to 2019 witnessed the saddest chapter in Imo economy. We have all dwelt enough on that. The current debate is focused on Governor Emeka Ihedioha coming out of the hell created in the last 8 years and finding ways to create a new Imo Economy. To do this, the governor must not just think outside the box, but go as far away from the box as possible to be able to think well and recreate our economy.”
Reacting to the allegation of awarding several contracts to himself, Sam Onwuemedo, spokesman for the former governor said the most important thing was that the contracts were executed.
“Okorocha has more than 1000 projects in the state, and even if trillions of naira were spent on the projects, they are justifiable because the man has worked. The most important thing is whether the contracts were executed or not, if you are a contractor and I know you can give me what I want without running away with my money, I will give you the contract,” he said.
But the position of many was that the defence by Onwuemeodo seemed hollow and could be traced to that of a drowning bigot. What Imo people want at this point in time is to bring Okorocha to book for ruining the commonwealth of the people and turning development backwards.
By so doing it would have served as deterrence to other callous leaders, who may want to impede on the collective growth and development of the people.