The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo state, has once more raised alarm over a recent move and directive to sell a fleet of government heavy duty serviceable vehicles, as scraps and the illegal hurried employment of a number of Imo citizens, who may be weeded out later, all as booby traps to smear the image of the successive administration, making things more difficult for them.
Addressing a press conference in PDP office in Owerri, yesterday, the PDP State Secretary, Hon Ray Emeana brandished to the media, an official government memo issued a few days ago to some government outfits and parastatals, but back dated to December 2018, directing for the immediate sale of government vehicles.
The party’s scribe said that, it’s earlier claims on the current illegal transactions in the state, including withdrawal of whopping N17 billion from banks were described in some quarters as a ruse, hence the presentation of some documents in relation to the illegal transactions, where some signatories were concealed.
The party revealed that, a notable traditional ruler in the state, Eze Osakwe, is being used to execute the transactions and warned that the administration of Ihedioha will leave no stone unturned at recovering and returning to the state, all such property especially vehicles wherever they may be located.
Hon. Ray Emeana observed that some of the affected vehicles have been carted away and ferried to as far as Lagos, Abuja and Kaduna, and warned that the state will not hesitate to recover such properties wherever they may be, as soon as the new governor is inaugurated.
He observed that, it will be unhealthy for the governor to embark on the illegal employment of unqualified workers on the verge of his departure, knowing that such illegal actions will be reversed, only to tag the PDP administration unpatriotic.
A circular emanating from the cabinet office, which was curiously backdated 18th December, 2018, endorsed by one Mrs Ukaigwe Julia, for the Secretary to the Government of Imo State (SGI), captioned Re: sale of unserviceable vehicles “addressed to the Commissioners for Justice, Works, Information and Tourism, Agriculture and Food Security, Environment, Public Utilities and ISIEC, making reference to government house, letter SGI/S0011/T4, supposed to be dated 23rdNovember, 2018, the Commissioners were directed to comply with the appointed auctioneer, Eze Osakwe.
The circular stipulates that “His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has appointed HRH Eze (Dr) M.U Osakwe (Nnachi of Amannachi), as the auctioneer of the 71 Number of unserviceable vehicles shown on the attached list. Eze Osakwe is a government approved auctioneer of repute”. I am further directed to request that, you accord him unfettered access to the items as listed.
A similar letter to this effect was also sent to the Ochiedike Medical and Dialysis, Centre New Owerri, which management had in turn complied hastily. The officer who signed for Ochiedike management for such official transaction could not reveal his identity
The PDP scribe released the list of vehicles most of which had been driven out of the state, hastily.
They comprised most of these vehicles all in good conditions; Kim Kim; IMO 19 B26, Bedford self-loader; IM 28 B26, Kim Kim; No number, Kim Kim; IM 24 A02, Man Diesel Self-loader; IM 09 B26, Man Diesel Self-loader; IM 09 B26, Land Cruiser (Toyota); No number, Mitsubishi Truck; 11IMSG 206, Peugeot 504; IMSG 189, Nissan Pickup; IM 50 A20, Nissan pickup; IM 27 A20, Toyota Hilux Double Cabin; IM 67 B01; Land Rover Defender; FG 173 D17; Foton View Bus; No number, Peugeot 406 Prestige; IM 06 A01, Kim Kim; IM 34 Bo1, Peugeot 406; SSG 01, Fork Lift Lansing; No number, Toyota Hilux double Cabin; IM 001 A03, Peugeot 504 Saloon; IM 97 Bol, Peugeot 505 Saloon, IM 84 Bo1, Toyota Haice Bus, IMGH 488/JTFSX22P506031985, Toyota HILUX (Old); JTFDM62680003551, Toyota Hilux (Newer); Not seen, Toyota Land cruiser (VX-R); JT3HT05Y8Y0115408/IMSG-01, Toyota Land; 336IMGH JTEBX9F12FXZ14182, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado; 330 IMGH JTEBX9FJ6AK016343, Toyota Avensis; IM 02 L01, Toyota Avensis; IMGH 461, Nissan Armada; Not seen, Toyota Corolla; JTDBR22E6003221703, Peugeot 504 Saloon; IMSG 19, Peugeot 504 Saloon; IMSG 271, Toyota Camry; Not Accessible, Toyota Camry; JT1WOSV2100338655/ IM06-AO5, Toyota Corolla; JTDBR22E903225714, Toyota Camry; IM09-A05, Toyota Corolla; JTDBR22E603224066/ IM13-A05, Peugeot 504 Saloon; IM09-A05, Toyota Corolla; IM33-A64, Toyota Corolla; IM30-A64, Toyota Avensis; SBIBL76L40E015683/ IM01-A64, Peugeot 406 Saloon; VF388RFN281416179/ IM013-A64.
The party scribe however said that, it is also aware that government property have been moved out of Government House to Ogboko and some other unknown places, and called on Imolites to be on the watch and assist in recovering some of these properties at the appropriate time.
Those who may have been persuaded to buy such serviceable vehicles as scrap were equally warned to return same or risk having them impounded at the appropriate time. For instance, the Ochiedike management in their report described such vehicles abandoned in it’s premises as “merely body carcass without engines, and nuisance and eye sore”, to prove the conspiracy involved in the fraudulent act.
