Imo Awards N40 Billion Contract For Road Rehabilitation

OGBONNA IWUAGWU

The Imo State Government says it has awarded over N40 billion contracts for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of dilapidated roads in the state.

The Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, who disclosed this at a parley with newsmen in Owerri, said that 25 of the road contracts had been procured with the first 19 already finished and 15% mobilization fee paid to the contractors.

Ihedioha said that sign boards for the projects with names of the contractors would soon be displayed for public attention, adding that he intends to establish good governance through the Bureau for Public Procurement.

The Governor explained that the commission of inquiry put in place by his administration on contract review and that of forceful acquisition of land by the immediate past administration in the state was in response to deluge of petitions by aggrieved individuals.

“I picked professionals without a single politician as members of the commission and I asked them to do the needful without fear or favour. I did not set up the committee to witch hunt anybody or just to celebrate probe and the Bureau For Public procurement which is already working transparently was meant to serve the state well” he said.

The Governor, who justified the introduction of a Single Treasury Account (TSA) in the state, said that while the state internally generated revenue (IGR) had been increasing with N877 million, the state’s monthly salary wage bill stands at N2.7 billion, just as about N1.1 billion is being deduced monthly from the federation account consequent upon the bailout funds.

Additionally, the Governor said that N280 million is being saved monthly from pension refund while the monthly payment for pension gulps around N6.8million.

Professing his determination to run a transparent Government with the principle of separation of power in place, the Governor said that 16 companies of high repute are already working in the state, just as 10 youths from each of the 27 LGAs in the state are being trained on modern agricultural techniques as part of his youth empowerment package.

According to him, the state is set to bid for the National Sports Festival with over N200 million injected in the renovation of the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, while ultra-modern sporting equipments are being installed to bring the sporting arena to international standard.

“Without a strong economy, you cannot advance the growth of Imo and institutional building is about resources” adding that he is working round the clock to renovate to decayed infrastructure and the education sector.