Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha said that his administration has saved N5.7 billion from re-negotiation of over-valued contracts awarded by Chief Ikedi Ohakim’s administration.
Speaking during budget presentation for the 2013 fiscal year at the Imo House of Assembly on Monday, Governor Okorocha said that Ohakim’s administration awarded N3.2 billion contract for the construction of the Ahajioku Convention Centre, Owerri and paid N2 billion to the contractors whereas the said project which according to him, can be built with not more than 800 million naira is yet to be completed.
He said his administration was taking steps to recover the N6.4 billion that his predecessor, Ikedi Ohakim, allegedly borrowed from the banks few days before he left office, adding that his administration was determined to ensure accountability and would not conceal any fraud committed by the past administration.
The governor, who said he was “under pressure to probe his predecessor”, however, did not say if he would succumb to the pressure.
Speaking further at the occasion, Okorocha also announced that his administration had awarded contracts worth N45 billion for the construction of over 1,000 km roads across the State, adding that N19 billion had already been paid to the contractor handling the project.
He said that every contractor in the State had received at least 30 per cent of the contract sum for each project under construction.
Okorocha’s clarification on the payment of contractors was sequel to speculations in some quarters in the State that he had not been paying contractors.
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