Barely 2 months after assuming office as Chairman of Imo State board of internally generated revenue, BIR, Mr Emeka Udegbulem, the revenue generating agency appears to have once more been enmeshed in another form of scandal bordering on greed and abuse of office.
Some contractors and stakeholders who spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity averred that the new Chairman is toeing the ignoble path of immediate past Chairman, Mr Justice Okoye who they confirmed was involved in monumental fraud which led to his shameful exit.
They further said that among the fraud allegedly committed by the past chairman, Okoye include manual issuance of vehicle licence instead of automated method, awarding contracts to grossly inexperienced people, among other unethical conducts.It was also gathered that at first, Okoye never yielded to adopting the generally acceptable practice of revenue generation which is automation system but when the pressure became much, he reluctantly engaged his surrogate who ended up messing up the system.
“At present, the current chairman has done nothing to right the wrongs of his predecessor. From the foundation he is laying, he may be worse than Okoye. For instance, while the government is concerned about raising IGR for the state, the Mgbidi born ex-banker is interested in engaging contractors who will play ball and cover his track”, a source stated.
The contractors called on the governor to beam his searchlight on the agency to unravel the fraud that is about to be perpetrated by Udeegbulem through use of his surrogates as contractors to drive the IGR of the state.According to them, the only way to increase the revenue base of Imo state is by using the best hands, adding that since such experienced hands are available let the bidding be open for all.
Effort to reach Udegbulem for his reaction on the allegation proved abortive as he did not take his call.
