But for the division among the Members of the Imo State House of Assembly, the State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha would have been granted request of obtaining another whooping N50b loan.
The Governor had reportedly sent in a request to the members of the House for the N50bn loan approval targeted for the purposes of executing what was branded “Task Force” projects in the state.
However, when the idea was muted to members of the House, opposition to the Governor’s request was encountered. Most of the members opposed to the N50bn meant for the “Task Force” projects disclosed that it was a request to many from the Governor, after the state legislature had granted him a four-year rolling plan budget in 2011.
The members who kicked against the new loan insist that the record-breaking four-year rolling plan was enough budget adding that the N50bn loan may again plunge Imo into perpetual debt.
What however worried the lawmakers was that several monies left in the state coffers by the immediate past government, like the N18bn bond was unjustly spent without the lawmakers’ approval.
While a group loyal to the Governor wanted the loan approval to get the nod of the House, others rejected it adding that the so called “task force” projects may not be different from the abandoned monumental projects which contractors eloped with after collecting contract fee.
The division among the Members gave the request a serious set back which forced the approval to be put on hold.
In a related development, the Imo State Chapter of the PDP has raised alarm over attempt by the Okorocha government to plunge the state into senseless and mindless debt trap again. According to a statement from the party endorsed by the party’s publicity secretary, Chief Blyden Amajirionwu, “We have irrefutable information that the government today, Friday 27th September summoned and sequestered Local Government Treasurers and Directors of administration in the government house and compelled them to sign documents showing that the Local Governments had obtained loans amounting to 15billion Naira from a Commercial Bank in Imo State. This is yet another evidence of profligacy and fraud by this administration. We are alarmed at this development which is coming almost in the last lap of the life of this administration.
“From the look of things, the money in question has been drawn and spent. That is the source of the fraudulent construction jamboree in Imo State. Of course it is well known that this administration is totally bankrupt on matters of accountability. It is therefore possible that the 15billion Naira phantom loan is also the source of the monies paid to phantom contractors.
“The PDP therefore calls on the present administration to discontinue with its present penchant of plunging Imo people into dubious loans and at the same time, Banks in Imo State are hereby warned to stop this senseless loans to Imo Government from which it secures easy money to carry out its anti-people programmes and policies.
“The Party is aware that recently a bill seeking approval to obtain 50billion Naira loan by the Imo House of Assembly was rejected. Where then did the Rochas Administration get approval for this 15billion Naira loan? This is very treacherous of this present day administration in Imo State.
“This wicked and vendetta driven government by the good grace of God, must be swept out of power in 2015”, it added.
