Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha and
the Managing Director of Nnutouch Global Ventures, Dr. Osita Okereke,
are currently at loggerheads over Governor Okorocha’s resolve to
terminate the N1.3 billion project awarded to the firm.
The state government had awarded to Nnutouch Global Ventures the
contract for the construction of an ultra-modern Judicial Commission
Headquarters building in April 2012. However, a year after the contract
was awarded to the firm, the governor who visited the building site
recently was disappointed to discover that the building, which was
billed to be delivered in April 2013 was still at its foundation level
even after the firm was allegedly mobilised for the job. He threatened
to revoke the contract and re-allocate to another firm.
A twist to the tale however developed
when the contractor alleged that the governor collected the sum of N24
million as gratification from the 15 percent payment made to his
company. The Managing Director of the construction firm, Osita Okereke,
while briefing journalists yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital,
dared Okorocha to revoke the contract.
He blamed the state government for the
delay in the execution of the project, stating that the government had
agreed to pay 40 percent upfront as stipulated in the contract
agreement, but the governor did not comply with that, instead, he paid
15 percent totalling about N168 million.
“After payment, the company surveyed and
cleared the site and the project is still at its foundation level since
August 2012 because no dime has been paid by the state government even
after we have given 40 percent APG to the government.
“After all this, it will be callous and
inhuman for the governor to visit the site and threaten to revoke the
contract even when he’s aware that the state government has not paid the
company what is due to them.
“This is not the first time Governor
Okorocha is playing such pranks on my company. At the moment, the state
government owes my company the sum of N742 million as balance for some
other projects we are handling for the government such as the new
governor’s lodge, street solar electrification of Owerri-Orlu,
architectural design and surveying of Imo-European University.”
Meanwhile, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Ebere Uzoukwa, described the allegation as laughable.
He said, “I won’t want to join issues
with a man whose character is well known to the people. The governor has
never collected a dime from any contractor and will never do. He has
legitimate means of making money. His businesses are still running. So
if Okereke has any contract with the state government, he should execute
it and stop beating about the bush or else we will expose him.”
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