…58 vehicles recovered
By CHRIS NJOKU, OWERRI
There are strong indications that the Government of Imo State has begun a manhunt for past commissioners and aides of former governor Rochas Okorocha, who allegedly departed with vehicles and other properties belonging to government, a few weeks to the expiration of the last administration.
The vehicles were reportedly carted away under the pretence that they were sold to the now ‘wanted’ officials.
Impeccable sources within the Governor’s Office informed our correspondent that, on assumption of office, Governor Emeka Ihedioha and his team had discovered that many vehicles and other property belonging to the state government were missing, while some were allegedly auctioned by the former governor to his commissioners and aides, including some family members.
It was gathered that a task force, made up of armed policemen, went after the past government officials in a bid to recover the items by storming their residence in search of the missing vehicles.
At New Owerri, Area G, where most of the former commissioners and aides live, several vehicles belonging to the state government were reportedly discovered.
As at weekend, it was gathered that over 58 vehicles had been recovered.
According to insiders, the vehicles auctioned by the former governor were allegedly sold without traceable documents backing the auction.
A source told our correspondent that when the taskforce stormed the residence of a former Commissioner for Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Angela Uwakem, two government vehicles were discovered, but that she claimed, however, that she bought the vehicles.
The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, owing to the sensitivity of the matter, said, when the commissioner was asked to provide a document to prove her claim, she was unable to do so.
“So, she was asked to take the taskforce to the ministry to show them where the money was retired, and she later left with the taskforce,” he disclosed.
At the residence of the former Commissioner for Happiness and sister to ex-governor Okorocha, Mrs. Ogechi Ololo, where some vehicles were seen parked, she was said to have resisted an attempt to recover the vehicles.
It was learnt that her husband, however, later left with the taskforce team to an undisclosed destination.
It was learnt that many vehicles, including plasma television sets, laptops and gadgets belonging to the state government were missing a few weeks to the exit of former governor Okorocha’s administration.
According to findings, some of the ex-commissioners claimed that they bought some of the vehicles from the ex-governor, but none could provide documents to back their claims.
Efforts made by our correspondent to reach Dr. Uwakwem was not successful as she did not respond to phone calls put across to her.
Reacting, Special Adviser (Media) to Governor Emeka Ihedioha, Steve Osuji, who confirmed the story, said the taskforce began work three days ago.
“It is true that a committee was appointed, headed by Abraham Nwankwo, to recover the vehicles. I don’t know how many vehicles they recovered so far. They just started work about three days ago,” he stated.
However, it was learnt that the taskforce has recovered more than 60 vehicles.
Meanwhile, Governor Ihedioha has warned those still occupying government houses and quarters to vacate the houses with immediate effect.
In a statement signed by the Secretary to the state Government, Uche Onyeagucha, the government observed with dismay that some past commissioners and appointees were still occupying houses at the Commissioners Quarters at Concorde Avenue and other government premises.
Onyeaguocha warned the said occupants to vacate those Quarters immediately.
Meanwhile, such situations, where political office holders at the local or federal level, abscond with government property, especially vehicles, are not peculiar to Imo State.
Analysts have, therefore, called for a special task force to tackle this menace, which leads to a waste of the nation’s resources.
Former gov set precedent – Ohakim’s aide
It was gathered that in 2011 when Okorocha came to power, he had also directed his aides to break into the country home of his predecessor, Ikedi Ohakim, and drive away fleet of vehicles allegedly owned by the state government without anybody stopping him.
Speaking to the Point, a former Chief Press Secretary to the First Lady, Mrs. Ohakim, Angela Akpolu, narrated her experience in the hands of the taskforce who stormed her home to drive away her official car, the value of which was to be deducted from her severance allowance.
“It was an embarrassing development. We suffered in the hands of the immediate past administration. We were supposed to go with the cars. It was to be deducted from our severance allowance, but the manner Okorocha and his men went about it, it was as if we stole the cars,” she said.
According to her, they also broke into the country home of the ex governor and drove away cars parked there, “including my madam’s own.”
“So, what is happening to Okorocha and his aides is not witch-hunting. The former governor set precedence. They are only paying him back,” she added.
Also speaking, a former Administrative Secretary of the state PDP, Dr. Goddy Okwu, said that the people should allow Ihedioha to act according to his conscience.
“But I will not be able to speak if the action is witch hunting. They should have a way of retrieving the vehicles if they are government vehicles; the way he is to go about getting them back should be left to the current administration to decide,” he argued.
A chieftain of APC in the state who pleaded anonymity said that the former governor was wrong to sell government property without any document to back the auction sale. “We heard that the former governor sold vehicles and other properties were carted away a few days to the exit of his administration. I think this is wrong and inconsiderate on the part of the former governor. Government is a continuum and any administration should leave a legacy for the incoming government,” he stated.
