The daily reports making rounds on the activities of the Owerri Capital Development Authority OCDA with regards to harassment, illegal operations have been likened to the operations of consultants in the Agency, otherwise rechristened as “Hinterlands”.
It would be recalled that governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State recently dissolved all forms of consultants in the State’s Agencies, including that of OCDA following alleged nefarious activities perpetrated by the consultants.
Trumpeta investigation shows that the recent attack on the OCDA staffers was not unconnected to the activities of the consultants who are accused of issueing fake receipts to developers at the site without rendering accounts to the establishment.
It was reported that inorder to fill their pockets, they pounce on fresh developers, cart away with valuable materials seen on sites and will not release those items until the owners pay a huge sums of money.
The recent development however has amounted to litigations recorded so far as attracted by the illegal operations of the consultants, which neither is of their duties nor enshrined in the OCDA enactment acts.
Interestingly, the forging of fake receipts and issuance by the consultants have necessitated fear and doubts in the heart of developers to the extent of asking of the duties and boundaries of the work of the consultants.
They are accused of charging monies ranging from what is called processing fee said to be N50,000 to N100,000. Another funds called Site Analysis Report (SAR), Environment Impact Analysis Report (EIAR). Negotiation of contravention fees of N200,000 which is purportedly said to be paid directly into their individual account instead of the official accounts.
Because of the illegal means they deploy, none of the funds collected by the developers are executed, and when queried on why the job was not executed, there is no concrete reasons; thereby warranting developers to pay extra charges before commencing work.
Information further gathered by this paper revealed that according to Town Planning Building Regulation edict of 1996, consultants have no management and Administrative powers to execute and collect monies onbehalf of the Agency unless on instructions of the General Managers and Heads of Departments like the Town Planning Departments whose obligation is to ensure that Buildings are constructed appropriately and in an approved manner.
With the non coordination of events in the establishment, Progress is retarded and if nothing is done fast about the hinterland taskforce, may go moribund.
The heat of it is said to be at Naze, Obinze, Irete and major areas that fall within the OCDA jurisdiction where their men are purportedly wrecking havoc.
Meanwhile, aggrieved developers who spoke to this paper under strict anonymity for fear of victimization have called on the State governor, Rochas Okorocha to checkmate the activities of the consultants and their high-level of high handedness before they scare investors away.
