The Imo State Judicial Commission of Enquiry on Contracts awarded between 2011 and 2019 said on Monday it uncovered fraudulent contracts amounting to N106 billion.
The panel chaired by Justice Benjamin Iheaka (rtd) consequently recommended that those involved be made to return the money to the government coffers.
Some of the contracts, which were allegedly awarded by the administration of former governor Rochas Okorocha, according to the panel, were inflated or given to phoney companies.
The report of the panel was submitted to Governor Hope Uzodimma at the Executive Chambers of the Government House in Owerri.
Speaking while handing over the report, Justice Iheaka said: “Monumental fraud was orchestrated by the contractors in the period under review, with strong collusion with some civil servants who helped in the fraud, which is evident in over-pricing of the value of the contracts executed.”
The report noted flagrant disregard for due process and the Public Procurement Act, in “outrageous contract pricing and shady contract executions as well as payment for non-performing contracts”.
Justice Iheaka said there was evidence of phoney companies that were used to siphon state funds.
The chairman, therefore, appealed to the governor not to sweep the report and recommendations under the carpet, but to do whatever is in his power to ensure that those indicted are made to return the funds.
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The panel also identified some civil servants who were honest, dedicated and resisted every pressure by the contract scammers to use their offices to defraud the state during the period under review.
Governor Uzodinma assured that all those indicted and identified in the report will be made to return the fund as the state is in dire need of funds to deal with pressing developmental issues in the face of dwindling resources.
The Governor assured that in a few days government will set-up a Review Committee that will look at the documents submitted by the Commission and produce a Whitepaper that will give Government the actual direction to follow in implementing the report in full.
Uzodinma assured the Chairman and his members that much as Government will not witch-hunt anyone unnecessarily, it will definitely not shy away from implementing to the letter, the recommendations on those who willfully fleeced the state of her scarce resources to serve as a deterrent to future criminals.
He commended the members for taking time to do a thorough job considering the intricacies of their assignment which warranted their visiting project sites and asking difficult questions and said Government will surely show appreciation for their sacrifices.
