The purported rot in the Owerri Capital Development Authority, OCDA, has been traced to the alleged unethical conduct of some staff of the agency whose activities sabotage the efforts to put the establishment on great pedestal.
Trumpeta gathered that the confusion and attack workers of OCDA receive cannot be divided from the illicit acts of a leading top staff who is in charge of planning and building approval in the agency.
The said worker (names withheld) who is found to be stupendously rich and living above his income judging from his numerous landed properly and estate, is accused of employing underhand practices to enrich himself to the detriment of agency. He is reported to be behind all illegal activities by working against other staffers struggling to improve the fortune of OCDA.
Further revelations have it that despite his level 10 Status, he showcases much power and wealth beyond that of the General Manager and other top management of the establishment. When developers come with their building plans, the official saddled with responsibilities of charging the fees for approval is accused of forcing them of paying amount ranging from N100,000 to N50,000 and letter of structural fitness of N50,000 which do not allegedly reflect in OCDA account after receipts and letters have been given out.
It was further gathered that efforts by the newly created Hinterland Taskforce to stop this illegality and shore up OCDA treasury is frustrated by the official who claims to be protected Government House, Owerri.
A source who preferred anonymity stated that “prior to this period, the official kept himself busy by illegally collecting revenues and sending it into his private account until the Hinterland Task Force came into place.
“He intimidates developers with demolition of their properties in order to collect huge settlements.
“Though his department is saddled with the responsibilities of stage by stage inspection of structures being developed within the OCDA territory, 98% of completed buildings within the OCDA territory never got any inspection. At the completion of your building you can pay between 100k to 200k to receive a “cooked” up inspection documents to quality for a permit. This laxity of the department is what led to the barrage of collapsed building in Owerri in the recent days,” a privileged source in OCDA revealed.
It is worthy of note that the official has been accused of working to get rid of the Hinterland Taskforce who ensures that developers are brought into OCDA to pay in money to official account so that they will collect their commission later. However the accused staff prefers to deal directly with the developers whom he collect monies from and pay into his private pocket and issue approval to build.
Further investigations also reveal that all gas plant, patrol filling stations and hotels erected within the last three years are all linked to the workers. When the taskforce visits these places to ensure compliance with building permits, the official will always call and order the task force team to leave. That he is processing their approvals even when there is no evidence of payment into government account for the process.
According to one of the task force team officials. “Many times he has directed developers to allegedly attack, injure our group and destroy our vehicles when the taskforce insists on seeing their evidence of payment. Some of these cases are being investigated by the police. Government should set up an independent investigation for the alleged activities”
