Okorocha ‘verbally’ awarded N240m contract, company tells panel

By GEORGE ONYEJIUWA, Owerri

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Contracts in Imo State has been told how former state governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha verbally awarded the N240m contract for the construction of a tunnel in Owerri.

Mr. Ududua Collins, Accountant of Kilcornam Construction Company, who gave details of the transaction from the witness box  said that the firm was only involved in the construction of the tunnel across Assumpta Avenue in 2016.

He told the panel: “Former Governor  Rochas Okorocha approached the company to know if we can construct a tunnel across the road. We affirmed our ability to deliver on the job. He (Okorocha) paid us the full contract sum of N240 million before we commenced work. He then took us to the site.”

He added: “There was no contract paper or agreement before we commenced and finished the job. It was a verbal agreement. Not even a letter of award for the contract, was given to the company.”

On how the company was guided on the terms and conditions of the contract, Ududua maintained that the award was verbal.

Mr. Ududua further revealed: “The company’s engineers prepared the Bill of Quantities, but I do not know if engineers from the state Ministry of Works supervised the work, while it lasted. There was no certificate of completion for the job,” Ududua said.

While saying that he did not know the office that paid the bill, Mr. Ududua added:  “We were paid the net. The state government deducted N24 million, representing the withholding tax and Value Added Tax, VAT, at source.”

When reminded that a document from the Accountant General’s Office indicated that the company was paid N267 million, Ududua said: “I will be surprised to hear that the tunnel cost N267 million.”

Answering a question on who designed and prepared the Bill of Quantities, the witness said it was the company’s engineers, after receiving the N240 million from the government, through electronic transfer.

When the judicial commission sought to know why the company did not asphalt the top of the tunnel, Ududua said it was not part of the contract.

He not only denied ever hearing that the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), had raised an alarm over the shoddy construction work on the tunnel, but also denied knowing that any engineer working in Nigeria, must be registered by the COREN.

Similarly, when the former Secretary of the Board of Imo State Universal Basic Education Board (IMSUBEB), Mr. Okey Anyikwa, mounted the witness box, he told the commission that even though  he was the administrative head of the board, no contract passed through his office that he only heard of the contracts.

According to him, “ordinarily, I was the administrative head of IMSUBEB; no contract for the construction of primary school buildings passed through my office, but I heard about these awards later.

“The much I know is that the state government decided to construct 305 primary school buildings in all the wards across the state. It was the policy of the administration after it started the free education policy.

“Ordinarily, the board should initiate the action plan, which would be forwarded to the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, for approval. When approved, UBEC sends it back to the board, who will then award the contract.”

Responding to a question, Anyikwa said that he was not aware of the 305 primary school building project, was initiated by the board, and if UBEC approved the action plan.

“I am not aware of the 305 primary school building project had counterpart funding from the state government. As the board secretary, I was not aware of the 91 primary school building project awarded to White Label International Company Limited,” Anyikwa said.

He further explained that he did not know anything about the projects because his office was never involved in any project and that his office was by-passed.

“I remember that the chairman, Mrs. Uche Ejiogu, returned from UBEC office, Abuja, with approved action plan. It could be true, as the chairman told the commission that it is the action plan approved was that of the counterpart funding of N5.2 billion. I am not aware of the contents of the action plan, for me to know whether it was 91 the chairman said or 305 I said.

Hearing continues on the matter. (The Sun)