By Jennifer John
Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma has vowed to implement recommendations of the commission of enquiry which investigated contracts awarded in the state between 2011 to 2019.
The governor made this bold statement after receiving the report and recommendations of the Justice B.C Iheka led commission of enquiry, on Monday, 5 October at the Sam Mbakwe expanded executive chambers of Imo State Government House, Owerri.
He said, having not earlier bowed to the enormous pressure to disband the committee, it will be foolhardy of him not to implement the report after spending state resources on the assignment.
“I want to assure you that I have come to right the wrongs. We have come to ensure that the odd things of the past are not allowed to remain. In few days from now, I am going to set up a committee to review the report and graduate them into a white paper for proper implementation”.
“My advice to all those who have been identified in this report that should return over N100 billion which the state needs very dearly to make haste while the sun shines”.
Specifically addressing members of the committee, the governor said, “We are going to implement everything recommended by you and confirmed by the appeal panel to the later.
“Seeing the membership of your commission, men and women of honour, I was very confident you were going to come up with bold recommendations”.
Presenting the report, chairman of the committee, Justice B.C Iheka, chronicled the monumental fraud discovered in the award of contracts, within the period under review which was perpetrated under the various dubious guise.
He revealed the discovery by the committee of about N106 billion fraudulently siphoned, using names of some frivolous companies with the connivance of some banks, civil and public servants.
The committee recommended that the present government should press on those who are fraudulently in possession of the monies to return them to the coffers of the state government with immediate effect.
