•Speaker’s aide indicted in phoney contracts
•Allegation debunked
A Former aide to the Imo State Speaker, Mr. Samuelson Iwuoha, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of fraud allegedly perpetrated by the Office of the Speaker, Mr. Benjamin Uwajumogu.
Iwuoha, who until his resignation was the special assistant to the speaker on Media, said he wrote Governor Rochas Okorocha to compel the House leadership to set up a panel to probe the allegations he levelled against the Office of the Speaker.
The ex-aide alleged that an official in the Speaker’s office awarded road contracts on behalf of the government to inexperienced contractors and signed contract papers for contractors, who had abandoned their jobs, to facilitate payments for contracts that were not executed.
He also alleged that close aides of the Speaker were awarded juicy contracts, which they abandoned after collecting payments. Iwuoha said over 120 people were recruited as the Speaker’s personal staff, against the approved number.
According to him, a certain percentage of their salary was deducted illegally by the official.
The media aide to the Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ahaneku, debunked the allegation, saying: “It is common knowledge that the Houses of Assembly in the country, Imo Assembly inclusive, do not have budgets and as such cannot afford to fund contracts. So how can an institution, which cannot fund contracts, give out road contracts in a state where the Works Ministry is active?”
Source: The Nation
