Did ex-Gov Chime award N23bn contract on eve of exit?

Reports indicate that the former Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, may have awarded a contract worth about N23 billion on the eve of his departure from office. It was also alleged in the report, that the details of the contract was kept away from the executive council until its very last meeting of the administration.

Read the report below…

The last executive council meeting of the former Governor Sullivan Chime-led Enugu state government ended on a sour note on Wednesday following an alleged altercation between the ex-governor and his former commissioner for works Engineer Goddy Madueke, over a N23 billion road contract which only received the approval of the council at its final sitting on May 27, 2015.

It was gathered from a reliable source that the contract which covers some roads in Enugu municipality and its environs had long been awarded to some contractors and some payments made without the works commissioner first bringing a memo to the council to seek an approval for those contracts.

According to the source, when the works commissioner informed the council at its valedictory sitting on Wednesday about the road contracts, the ex-governor was said to have upbraided him (Madueke) for failure to notify the council about those contracts prior to the Wednesday’s meeting.

It was gathered that the former works commissioner said that he acted on the ex-governor’s instruction, explaining that when he wanted to bring a memo before the council regarding those contracts, the former governor asked him not to do so.

It was further gathered that it was at this point that the ex-governor engaged the works commissioner in a heated argument, a development which led the Madueke to break down in tears, and did not stop weeping until some of his former colleagues calmed him down.

The source added that despite not passing through the council in the first place before the contractors started work on the roads, the council, however, gave the contracts a seal of approval.

When contacted, the out-gone Commissioner for Information, Chuks Ugwoke, said the executive council could not have approved a N23 billion road contract on the eve of its departure.

“You know it was our last Exco and we didn’t feel like addressing any press conference. The governor-elect was also there. What happened was that commissioners were asked to present what they did. I did my own presentation earlier.

“Yesterday (Wednesday), it was the turn of my colleague in works ministry. He presented contracts that were awarded and not completed. He presented those that were awarded and completed. Questions were asked. He was asked why he did not present it to the executive. That was all. There was no altercation. He did not cry. You have his number, you can call him and find out” Ugwoke said.

Ex-Governor Chime, who was elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in 2007, handed over office on Friday to his successor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, from the same political party.

–          Leadership, May 30, 2015

 

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