The Imo Government says it has discovered a N300 million fraud perpetrated by a construction firm, handling some government road projects in Owerri, the state’s capital.
The discovery was contained in a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr Ebere Uzokwa, and made available to newsmen in Owerri on Tuesday.
Uzokwa said that the construction firm had been ordered to refund the money.
The statement said that the company fraudulently received N1.45 billion, instead of N1.15 billion from the state’s Ministry of Works as contract sum for the job so far done.
It did not state whether or not there were connivance by ministry officials.
It said further that the State Government had paid over 30 per cent of the cost of road projects awarded by Gov. Rochas Okorocha’s administration.
There had been widespread speculations in some quarters in the state that government had not been paying contractors for projects being executed.
Okorocha had earlier told the people that his administration had awarded road contracts totaling over N45 billion.
He warned that government would sanction any contractor who failed to abide by the contractual agreement entered into with government.
The governor assured that his administration would complete all the road projects it awarded before leaving office. (NAN)