Director General, National Taskforce, Chief Osita Okereke, has alleged that non-payment for contracts amounting to billions of naira is threatening ongoing infrastructural projects in Imo State.
Okereke, who spoke in Lagos on Friday, is a contractor in the state. He is also the National Chairman of African Liberation Party and the National Chairman, Inter-party Advisory Council.
The NATFORCE boss said he had to abandon about N10bn worth of projects initially awarded to him by Governor Rochas Okorocha's administration due to alleged failure of government to pay.
Okereke said, "I can tell you 30 per cent of the construction works in Imo have died. But I can tell you Okorocha will leave Imo State; Imo has been there before him. Nobody can be an island."
According to him, among the projects which he has completed their preliminary stages without being paid are the new Governor's Lodge and Imo State University buildings.
He accused Okorocha of diverting funds meant for the projects, including the construction of an ultra modern state judiciary headquarters complex, which he undertook with Zenith Bank Plc's Advance Payment Guarantee.
He said, "What the government is owing me for the judiciary complex is N328m. The money has been diverted. It has been diverted because APG money is being paid once ."
Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Chinedu Offor, however dismissed Okereke's allegations, saying contracts awarded to him were revoked because he failed to keep to the terms of the contract after being paid "millions".
Offor said, "Mr. Okereke is on the run after collecting money from Imo State Government. He has been paid some money to do his contract here. Rather than keep to the terms of the contract, he disappeared with the money."
The Punch
Imo projects are not usually taken serious and it's killing that state. The governor has to really improve on himself....