By Anthony Anyanwu
The unpalatable situation surrounding the controversies beclouding the State of affairs in Imo state has taken another dimension with the coming in of the men of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
Although it is not yet clear who invited the EFCC, reports has it that part of the reason why they came into the state is to investigate the allegation that Governor Rochas Okorocha has accessed the N18.5B bond initiated by the Ohakim administration without approval.
The report also has it that the EFCC is interested in the spending of billions of Naira released to the 27 Local Government Areas in the State from the Federation Account between April 2011 till date.
Another area of interest to the commission is the various reckless spending by the Government on projects since its inception even as some of them are either abandoned or poorly executed without contract regulations.
Imo Trumpeta gathered that the move which has instilled fear to the Government may have been the reason why both the Local Government Treasurers and Directors of Administration and General Services (DAGS) of the 27 Local Governments in the State relocated their offices to that of the Accountant – General of the State where it is alleged that they have been faced with the “doctoring” of some financial documents of Local Governments.
According to our source, the state government has mandated the ousted Transition Chairmen in the 27 local governments to sign documents indicating that they gave the state government willingly the whooping sum of Twenty Million naira (N20m) each to cover up some of the financial irregularities government.
Accordingly, the state House of Assembly has also been pouched through the clerk of the House to manufacture, back date and sign some un –existing bills and past ones to cover some of the illegal operations of the state government to the tune of (withheld) millions.
Irked by the manner which the deal is being hatched and managed by both the state government and the leadership of the state Legislature, the state Legislature is currently divided into three strong blocs each against the move.
Hear one of the aggrieved members of the Legislature, “You can imagine how our law makers have reduced their office so low that the governor will price them as cheap as N250, 000 for such a life saving deal”
The Bill which would guarantee the state Governor’s interference with the Local government operation, will equally allow the Governor to either borrow from the LGA funds or through lending by force.
Already the Transition Committee Chairmen Imo Trumpeta gathered are on the run on sighting the EFCC as some of them are reported to have flown outside the country for safety.
