By Okey Alozie
One of the star witnesses on school building contracts handled during former governor Rochas Okorocha’s regime, Mrs Getrude Ego Oduka on Monday entered the witness box for another cross examination on how due process was followed in the execution of the 61 schools storey- building that were constructed when she was incharge of Imo State Basic Education Board (IMSUBEB) between 2015 and 2016.
While at witness box on Monday, Oduka started testimony with the presentation of documents which were earlier demanded by the panel when she first visited few days ago for cross examination on the issue.
Oduka who said that due process was followed brought relevant documents like publication, contract award letter, bill of quantity, drawings, project report to justify her case beyond reasonable doubt.
A lawyer from Government House, Owerri questioned if those 61 schools were duely completed and she answered with explanation.
She submitted that the school project in Obitti in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area was not completed before she left office in 2016 due to youth restiveness in the area.
She explained that the youths stopped the project half way but government paid the contractor that handled Obitti school contract job for the extent of work done at the site.
Speaking further, she declared that all the jobs completed were fully paid as the contractors received their money without delay.
In her words, “Obitti project was not completed due to youth restiveness in the area, we paid according to stages of work done, evaluation and monitoring was done by a committee and the voucher will determine the kind of payment.
But we made use of e-payment” Oduka explained to the panel.
The panel insisted that she must show how the payments were effected vice authorization letter.
She agreed to come with the reports and the authorization letters showing payment on the job.
She was also asked list out the contractors paid fully and the ones that were not paid fully.
The panel observed that the project for which the contract was given was not mentioned in the items submitted but Oduka maintained that some of the 61 school building project that she saw had very big challenge while others were completed before she left adding that she was sure of the evaluation papers and the report from field to determine the payment, because at every stage the work as special report and investigation is carried to ascertain the truth and the final report on the work comes to IMSUBEB office.
The Bank details as she said were supplied by the contractors handling the job as payment she said was duely authorized by her.
