Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has been accussed of misappropriation and embezzlement of funds meant for Local Government administration in the State.
In a statement released by the All Local Government Organisation of Nigeria, ALGON, yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital, the group demanded the immediate resignation of the state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, for allegedly mismanaging N158 billion belonging to local governments in the state in the last two years. ALGON Secretary in the state and former Chairman of Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of the state, Enyinnaya Onuegbu, yesterday said the governor has grounded the local government system in the state after mismanaging the councils’ allocations in the last two years.
He said it would be appropriate for Governor Okorocha to tender his resignation and save the state from further economic and administrative malady. The former council boss, who made the call in a telephone interview in Owerri, said; “The governor lacks the ability and administrative knowledge to govern the state.”
The ALGON secretary, whose association is still enmeshed in a legal battle with the governor over the dissolution of the tenure of council chairmen in the state said; “Facts and figures from the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, indicate that in the last two years, the governor has collected over N158 billion local governments’ allocations from the Federation Account, which he allegedly misappropriated.” Onuegbu, also chided the governor for his constant European trip, noting that the governor had been away for one month.
“Everything has been grounded in the state, virtually all institutions of government have been put on hold as a result of his absence and this is an impeachable offence.
“I know that it is not in the character of African leaders to resign, but Okorocha has no business staying in the Government House, he should have resigned by now for gross incompetence and abuse of office.”
He continued: “In the last six months local governments’ allocation has not been made public because there was no Joint Accounts Allocation Committee, JACC, meeting. The ALGON boss further challenged the governor to come up with a comprehensive account of how the allocations were spent; “He should show Imo people how the councils’ allocations for the past two years were spent.
He has nothing on ground to show the people.” Efforts to get reactions from the Government House failed as those contacted declined comment on the issue.
