A former Commissioner for Works under former Governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration, Ichie Best Mbanaso Thursday told the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Contracts that some ‘shady’ companies were paid huge sums of money for jobs not done.
Mbanaso made the disclosure while answering questions from
the witness box.
He recalled that some of the companies paid by the Rochas Okorocha
administration, included Mayor and Jordan International Limited (N1.970
billion), Michelle Integrated Project Limited (N350 million), Naphtali
International Limited (N3.633 billion), Legend World Concepts Limited (N2.3
billion), Blaise Digital Promotions (N933 million) and Chardalex Ventures
Limited (N850 million).
When confronted with some of the contract documents he
supposedly signed while in office, Mbanaso said he appended his “signature
on them under compulsion”.
He recalled how former governor Okorocha orally ordered him
to “arrange supply of building materials to some project sites, including
his private residence at Spibat Road, Owerri, his country home and private
ranch at Ogboko.”
The former Commissioner maintained that, “every contract
was handled by the former Governor and his Principal Secretary from the
Government House”, adding that the Ministry of Works was not involved in the
construction of the two tunnels in Owerri.
On the status of the Old Onitsha Park Shopping Mall, Mbanaso
said that “the allocation and sale of the stalls, were executed by the
former Chief of Staff to the former governor, Mr. Uche Nwosu”.
When asked to throw more light on the current ownership of
the stalls, Mbanaso said: “It is only Uche Nwosu that can answer the
question. All I know is that I wrote an executive memo on the issue, stating
that they are government properties, but that was ignored.”
