The cause of the deplorable road condition in Imo State executed by the immediate past administration of Rochas Okorocha has been linked to a former member representing Ideato South Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Ikechukwu Amuka, over his alleged involvement in the award of contract without specifications.

Information has it that Hon. Amuka, as Chairman of Rural roads Committee in the state under Okorocha, was said to have connived with contractors handling the projects to construct poor roads after allegedly accepting kickbacks from them.

It was further gathered that as a lawmaker representing Ideato South LGA, the home town of the then Governor Okorocha, Hon. Amuka turned himself into a contractor using his connection to hijack various contracts, which information has it, he ended up giving shoddy completion to the roads.

Our insider source who disclosed this on condition of anonymity said that part of the kick-backs allegedly received by Hon. Amuka was used for the erection of hotels in Owerri, along World Bank Road and Asaba, the capitals of Imo and Delta states respectively.

The source also revealed that apart from the hotels said to have been owned by the former Lawmaker, a large chunk of land was bought for the building of agro farm business with a private mansion in his village within few years he was elected, adding that vehicles assigned to him for monitoring as Chairman of the committee had yet to be returned to the government.

When contacted, Hon. Amuka denied using government’s money for the building of his hotels, saying that aside his salaries and allowances, he also took loan from bank to enable him complete the projects.

He maintained that the vehicle assigned to him as chairman of the committee would not be returned, pointing out that it has become a ritual that any vehicle approved for a committee set up by any government for the purposes of project monitoring was never returned back to the government, wondering how he could let the vehicle go.

He said: “As a lawmaker, I managed my salaries and allowances judiciously, as a result of my prudence, I was lucky to build my first hotel along World Bank Road, few years later, I built another one. This feat made some of my colleagues to be envious of my achievements.

“I want to tell you, if I am given another opportunity to become a lawmaker and with the same salaries and allowances, I will still build another hotel, I have no apology to anyone.

“I have empowered my people and they are happy with me. Every road executed when I served as Chairman of the committee was certified OK. Yes, a vehicle was assigned to me as Chairman though dilapidated now, but you can make enquiries, no vehicle approved to a committee for the purposes of any project is ever returned. It has become my own property having worked for government in that capacity. I never received any bribe from contractors handling the jobs. The record is there for anyone to see. Even the case of Certificate forgery was a ploy to destroy me but God saved me anyway. These are the handiwork of my political enemies,” he submitted.

While describing his political rivals as people on a vendetta mission to malign his image, also maintained that every road awarded for construction was done and certified, and denied the allegation that he received kick-backs from contractor.

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