The Chairman, Orlu Mayoral Affairs, Ichie Uche Best Mbanaso is enmeshed in an N300Million scam, as a result of his sole running of the committee charged with the development of Orlu senatorial zone of Imo state.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that Mbanaso who has now been nominated commissioner in the state, runs the committee as his private business and has little to show for the more than N300Million Gov. Okorocha has so far released for projects.
Mbanaso is alleged to have resorted to running the committee using cronies and relatives to corner contracts.
Said a member of the 7 man committee who pleaded anonymity,” Ichie Mbanaso has continued to keep us in the dark about the running of the committee.
He hardly convenes meetings, we have made several attempts to call him to order but he won’t listen. We have decided to leave him alone to do his wish. He continues to boast of his contacts in Government House that nobody can remove him from office.”
Pointblanknews.com further gathered that the Orlu Mayoral Committee is heavily indebted to a number of block industry operators, artisans and other contractors to the tune of N200Million.
Mbanaso, popularly known as the Mayor of Orlu, reportedly told contractors that Okorocha has not been releasing money. He is said to be in the habit of assaulting anybody who confronts him over the issue of indebtedness to contractors to the committee.
A source within the committee hinted that the case of one Mrs. Ngozi Obiefule who is being owed more than a million Naira for the payment of construction materials directed by the Mayor.” Her efforts to get paid led to assaults by Mbanaso,” the source disclosed.
The source also stated that Mbanaso maintains a group of thugs who can beat up anybody at his command. “Last time, his thugs beat up Madam Charity, a block industry operator whom the committee owes over N300, 000 and one man I can’t remember his name now for disturbing Mbanaso for their money,” the source further hinted.
Some of the traders and contractors, who spoke to Pointblanknews.com in Orlu, seem to have resorted to petitioning the Chief of Staff, Government House, Owerri, Prince Eze Madumere to prevail on Mbanaso to pay them.
Others said that the Mayor of Orlu has been’ bad news’ to the Rescue Mission Agenda and wondered why Okorocha nominated him for the post of a commissioner when he failed to perform in his assignment to give Orlu a facelift.
Efforts to reach Mbanaso to react to the allegations did not yield fruit as his someone who claims to be his aide said he was in a meeting.