Oru East DAGS Debunks Publication On Contract –         Says He Was Misquoted

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Mr Chidi Okere

By Martin Nwoko

The Director of Administration and General Services (DAGS) in Oru East local government area, Mr Eustace Chidi Okere, has debunked news making the rounds in some National Dailies and some tabloids describing some of the roads done in Oru East LGA during the administration of the former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, as scam.

Mr Okere maintained that the publication in the Vanguard Newspaper edition of 28^th of February, 2020, was one ill-intentioned by the said reporter, stressing that the Vanguard reporter(namewitheld), who was present at the Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by the immediate past administration of Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, where he was invited to give account of some road contracts awarded and executed by the former administration of Senator Rochas Okorocha in Oru East, misquoted him.

Speaking further, the DAGS maintained that what he said to the panel is that road contracts done at that time was the operation zero portholes and other roads were properly awarded.

Mr Eustace Chidi Okere also stated that when the judges sitting at the panel asked him to show members of the panel roads said to have been awarded and executed in Oru East LGA during Rochas Okorocha administration he did as directed and he made it clear to them that the said road contracts were handled by a state agency and not the local government, saying that he never said the roads were a scam, but rather that he does not know where the roads are.

The DAGs expressed sadness over the level of embarrassment the said publication of the Vanguard Newspaper had caused him, opining that journalists are highly regarded in the society because they are required to report to the general public objectively on any issue in order not to mis-inform or mis-lead the public because they rely on them for any important information they seek to know.

He called on the Vanguard reporter to always cross-check his reports before going to the public to ensure that he does not give wrong interpretations or misquote an individual on any matter.