The Imo State government has responded to the call by a human rights group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, demanding the probe of Governor Rochas Okorocha over the statues erected in honour of two African leaders, Jacob Zuma and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

SERAP had called on the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC to collaborate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for a joint investigation of ‘incompatibility and/or apparent and conflict of interest’.

The group had claimed that Governor Rochas “may have spent over ‘N1 billion’ of public funds to build the statues.”

However, in a statement by the chief press secretary to the governor, Sam Onwuemeodo, on Tuesday, the government said the state agreed with SERAP’s call for probe.

“First, we want to solemnly subscribe to SERAP’s call for probe. We welcome the call. Our only concern is that SERAP contradicted itself by also passing judgements. It would have stopped at the call for probe to show they meant well. But they went ahead to pass judgements and thereby jeopardising what should have been their innocent call for probe,” the statement read.

“SERAP also said the statues might have cost N1 billion. Then, how would SERAP address the issue of cost again if at the end of the probes, the amount is either far higher or far below what they quoted?” he said.

“Again, what if at the end of the probe, it is discovered that the statues were not funded from government’s purse, when SERAP had already talked about ‘apparent misuse of public resources’?” he added.

“Our concern too is that people deliberately tell unfounded lies. A week ago, all the newspapers had reports on states owing salaries and the chairman of the Imo State branch of NLC, Comrade Austin Chilakpa said the “State government is up to date in the payment of workers’ salary” (see Nation newspaper, Sunday November 5, 2017, pg13). In other words, the state does not owe workers including teachers. On the issue of pension, the government cleared all the arrears in December 2016 and has begun to pay monthly. These pieces of information have been there in public domain”, the statement said.


http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2017/11/why-okorocha-speaks-on-spending-n1bn-on.html

too much money he doesnt knw what to spend it on...

K

This mistake of a governor seems to ve so much guts,is it because paternally he feels he is a northerner as being alleged in some quarters or because he belongs to the ruling party which therefore means he can't be touched at least for the now?. He is not even showing any remorse or gravitas on the crazy statues he erected which he is receiving flaks for which by the way re just a complete waste of scarce resources and won't contribute anything to lives of Imolites...Meanwhile he is owing pensioners a great deal of money and he is not even showing signs of wanting to offset it soonest.

Are you now saying you fund the project with your personal funds ? or you got sponsors for it? if so ,what's in for the sponsors of the statues Mr Rochas ?

Gov. Okoro-erectus, whey don sir

Only God will judge

This response is nowhere close to being professional.

Why didn't the Press Secretary mention the actual amount spent on the project and release documents to substantiate his claims?

Better still, he could have mentioned the financier of the project if he claims the state government didn't bankroll it.

As an Imo indigene, he pains me that we have yet to get it right in governance

SMH

Pls Rochas don't forget to put Iwobi and our amiable coach's statue at Okigwe roundabout . They made us proud.

You have a sitting governor in a state where nearly everybody complains about not payment of salaries, no road constructions, demolition of properties that people survive on and you spent a billion plus in erecting status for irrelevant individuals? These people, do they really think the same way we think? Do they have the fear of God? I dont think so.