IMO: Govt allegedly finds looted equipment in Okorocha’s warehouse

*Proof your allegation or cover your face in shame, says ex-gov

THE state government has accused former governor Rocha’s Okorocha of looting equipment of Nsu ceramic and tiles industry established during the tenure of Sam Mbakwe.

The government said this following its claim that these lost equipped were allegedly found in a warehouse owned by Okorocha, along Owerri/ Aba road in the state.

Explaining how the allegedly looted equipment were found, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in the state, Simon Ebegbulem, noted that some patriotic citizens of the state revealed the hidden warehouse to government while on what he described as a “find- out” mission.

He added that when they got to the warehouse, they were shocked to see it stacked with various public-owned property.

The commissioner alleged that the equipment were transferred from Ehime Mbano Local government to the private warehouse in order to establish a personal industry by the Okorocha’s.

 Egbebulem said, “There was a time the administration of Hope Uzodimma, raised an alarm of the equipment of Nsu ceramic and tiles industries looted by Administration of Rochas Okorocha, that was after some patriotic citizens of the state raised an alarm of where these Imo properties looted and were kept by the Okorocha’s along Owerri/Aba road.

“We followed up to find out the truth and with what we have seen today, in Okorocha’s warehouse there is a plan by Okorocha, to set up a ceramic factory with government-owned properties as a personal factory.

“A reliable information we have gathered from those guiding the warehouse said that sometimes they (Okorocha’s) people do come here to pick some items and sell them.

“However, some of the equipment we are looking for are here and we have come to take possession of the Imo properties and anybody we see here will blame himself. We have taken over the government properties for the good of Imolites based on their demands.

“Some of the public properties discovered included equipment of the Nsu ceramic and tiles industries set up by the then government of Sam Mbakwe as the industry established for Imo people have been personalized.

“We also found street lights equipment and their components, traffic light accessories, artificial tree plants were all found in the large warehouse owned by Okorocha. Also, a moulder from the Nsu tiles and ceramics and other components of the Nsu tiles Industries were discovered to be in the warehouse and now we have taken over.”

Meanwhile, the former governor has faulted the government’s claim that he looted state’s properties.

Okorocha challenged the state government to show proof of ownership of the equipment that were allegedly recovered in the said warehouse located along Owerri-Aba road in the state.

Okorocha, who spoke through his media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo,  asked the commissioner to show how he arrived at the conclusion that those items were owned by the government.

He said, “The government should disclose or publish the proof of ownership of all they claimed they recovered. All these cock and bull stories have become irritating. If Governor Uzodinma was not demolishing Okorocha’s projects, he was invading warehouses in his government’s desperation to malign Okorocha.

“If after eight years of being governor, what the government could claim to have been looted by Okorocha were street light gadgets and cartons of tiles, then those who invaded the warehouse should cover their faces in shame.”