Barely a week after court approved for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, investigation of Owelle Rochas Okorocha over his stewardship in Imo, fresh facts on how a particular firm named Zigreat International Company got contract worth more than N8bn have been obtained.
An NGO after Okorocha left office had written to the EFCC to investigate the former governor who is now a senator representing Orlu zone. Apparently worried about the zero action of the anti graft towards the investigation, the plantiff went to court to compel EFCC undertake the investigation
Trumpeta learnt that the investigation centres on suspected fraud committed through a single company who was joined as defendants in the case.
While the case is still undergoing hearing, this newspaper stumbled into papers indicating contract awards to one Zigreat International company.
It would be recalled that during the brief stay of Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha revelations of how multi-million naira worth of contracts was handed to the said Zigreat during the Okorocha era was made public.
Apart from the earlier ones, another revelation has shown how the same Zigreat got more than N8bn for some choice contracts of the state government when Okorocha was in office.
Trumpeta can report that in a letter Dated 3ed November 2017, with GH/PL/5.64/TIA/36 addressed to the Managing Director of Zigreat Inte By Ltd OF No 5 Ugbelle Street Ideato South, approval for the award of construction of Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Aboh/Ngor Okpala at a total cost of N3,760,792 980.85 (Three Billion, Seven Hundred and Sixty Million, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Two Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty naira, Eighty Five Kobo) only. The letter was signed by Dr Paschal Chigozie Obi, the Principal Secretary to the Governor.
In similar vein, the same Zigreat company in reference letter GH/PL/S.64/T IA/55 dated 9th March 2017 received award of contract for the construction of IMSU campus at Onuimo at a total cost ofN2,711,897,926 00 (Two Billion, Seven Hundred and Eleven Million, Eigh Hundred and Ninety Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Six Naira) only. The letter was also signed by Dr Paschal Chigozie Obi.
The Zigreat International did not only receive the contract for the building of the two institutions but also for a community Hospital project at Ogboko, Ideato South. The contract papers signed by Dr Obi is date 14th Sept 2016 and reads that Zigreat undertakes the contract for the construction of community Hospital, Ogboko at a total cost of N683,245,336,00 (Six Hundred and Eighty-Three Million, Two Hundred and Forty Five Thousand Three Hundred and Thirty Six naira)only.
