By Okey Alozie
The probe panel sitting at High Court Nine Owerri Last week frowned at the owner of Gosh project company Ltd, Jeff Okoh for not disclosing other companies he used for the execution of contracts in Imo State during the Rescue Mission administration, led by Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
The Judicial commission of Inquiry last week discovered some openings in the award of contracts which made the probe panel not to discharge him from the subpoena. “We never knew there are more openings, moreover, you never told us you used other companies to execute your job” a panel member said to Jeff.
Garfied Company was discovered to have been used by Jeff Okoh to execute a road contract from Fire Service (Mbaise road) to Shoprite at Egbu worth of billions of naira.
The panel chairman, Justice Benjamine Iheka who raised eyebrows on the issue insisted that the contract paper given to Garfied company should be produced, adding that this development is an eye opener to what may have transpired.
The commission members then questioned Jeff on the work he did at International Conference Centre Owerri IICC and Chamber of Commerce, including Ahiajoku centre.
He revealed that it was the principal secretary of the then Governor of Imo State.
Speaking further, he revealed that Paschal Obi the then principal secretary to the Governor told him to bring quotation and he was the one that showed him the job which he did at Chamber of Commerce and Imo International Conference Centre, Owerri.
He also hinted that he has an agreement paper between him at the Principal Contractor, Anyim Nyerere.
In his words, “about 1.5 billion naira was the total amount for the IICC subcontract” he said.
The panel members expressed surprise that Imo government was still paying Gosh company, who did the IICC job after the principal contract was fully paid on the same job (approximately 2 billion naira) .
Jeff was asked to mention the name of the principal contractor as this point and without wasting much time he disclosed that the principal contractor that sublated the IICC job to him was Anyim Nyerere.
Jeff went ahead to display how he was paid from Government House on the contracts he handled for Imo Government during Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s era.
He hinted that Treasury House and chamber of commerce was done on direct labour and that he do not know the contractors that initially started the job, “ what an sure was that the principal secretary showed me the job that I will do for government of Imo State.
Furthermore, Jeff said he supplied Hospital Bed for Naval Hospital at Agbala Owerri North at the tune of six million naira.
He also showed how petrol and diesel were dispensed at the Government House, Owerri, adding that he was paid in bulk as a bulk supplier.
“It is funny that you brought the petrol and diesel and at the same time you are the one that received and distributed them”, a panel member remarked.
Jeff then told the panel that it was his boys that handle the managing of the fuel at government house.
The fuel dump he said, is part of the government house facility management.
Jeff said he started Ahiajoku job from the carcas level and supplied the whole of air conditions equipment there without knowing the man contractor there.
He accepted to have received N560m out of N760m. He said also that he supplied seat for the chamber of commerce but denied ever received any money for Orji Flyover as widely speculated.
At this point, the panel demanded that he should bring documents concerning the hospital project and that of chamber of commerce. The matter was adjourned for further hearing on the 23rd of May.
