The legislative arm of the Imo State government has in recent times developed a tradition to always be in the news for the wrong reasons. As the dust raised by a recent revelation bordering on the N20m a top management staff gets every year through the annual budget, is yet to rest, fresh scandal is rocking the establishment.
All is not well in the Imo State House of Assembly following the surprise disappearance of government property worth not less than N10m.
The property ranging from aluminum roofing sheets, car, fridges and television sets removed from the main assembly complex during renovation have grown wings and are yet to be spotted in the complex again. Already, police authorities have moved into the matter and have made arrests.
It would be recalled that when workers of the Imo State House of Assembly and Members called it quits from the main complex and relocated to Heroes Square complex on Concorde Road, Owerri, to allow for renovation work, the old aluminum roofing sheets, office property like fridges, television sets and furniture were removed from the top floor and kept downstairs.
However, as the state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha officially okayed the renovated complex for continuation of legislative business for the lawmakers, it was observed that the removed zinc, red in colour and of high quality as well as other valuable office items have been carted away from the complex by yet to be identified persons to an unknown destination. The governor was said to have raised the alarm when he visited the complex few weeks ago. The governor was reported to have tasked the Clerk of the House on the matter or lose his job if he fails to produce the missing items and those who carted them away from the complex.
Worried by the tall order from the governor and the consequences therein, the Clerk of the House, Barr Chris Duru, according to our Assembly correspondent, quickly alerted the police to investigate the matter. Staff of the state legislature especially those in stores, procurement and security departments were dragged to the police for investigation. At the New Owerri Police Division which shares boundary with the Assembly Complex, the arrested workers made further revelations in contrast to the position of the chief administrator of the complex by showing their initial memos and notices to the Clerk over the removed items which have been declared missing.
To show his determination to unravel circumstances surrounding the stolen property, the clerk summoned all staff to a meeting where the staffers spoke in discordant tunes while accusing each other of masterminding the fraudulent act.
Trumpeta learnt that heads will roll and some staff of the state assembly who know or are connected to the sale of the government property may be in trouble if Governor Okorocha’s threat to the Clerk is anything to go by.
Apart from the roofing sheets valued at about N7m, staff of the stores department also revealed to the police how a parked Toyota Avensis car belonging to the House of Assembly was allegedly stolen from the complex recently, and no staff is yet to lay claim to the disappearance even as nobody is yet to account for all the missing fridges and TV sets kept at the premises.
New owerri police division refused to comment on the matter when our reporter visited their office while the state police command could not be reached for comments when the phone number of the police public relations officer was called.
However, Trumpeta learnt that the leadership of the House who frowned at he action of the Clerk for dragging the staff to police is seeking another means of settling the matter by setting up another investigative panel under civil service rules to unravel circumstances surrounding the missing items.
