These are not
the best of times for some contractors handling various infrastructural
projects at the Imo State University (IMSU) Owerri, as they are being owed
millions of naira after funds meant to pay them were allegedly diverted by Alex
Mbata, a close ally of Governor Rochas Okorocha.
Recall that
Naijaloaded about a month ago reported on an alleged multimillion naira scam
rocking IMSU following the lodging of the sum of N800 million released for
capital projects at the institution in a bank account so as to use the profit
for personal purposes.
The projects
under the TETFund 2011/2012/2013 consolidated projects were awarded to
contractors for the construction of various buildings at IMSU’s Owerri campus.
But of the
projects have been abandoned following the alleged diversion of the sum of N800
million meant to pay the contractors by Alex Mbata, Okorocha’s right hand man.
However, the
school authority has dismissed allegations that funds released by TETFund have
been diverted to a fixed deposit account.
The public
relations officer of the institution, Ralph Njoku-Obi in a telephone chat with
our correspondent had said there was no truth in the report that all
contractors working on projects in IMSU had stopped working.
He said work
was still on-going on the senate building, the news library and other projects,
adding that those contractors who had stopped work probably needed to sort out
some grey areas.
On the
contrary however, when Naij.com visited IMSU, in Owerri, it found out that the
institution’s campus in was filled with abandoned building projects left at
different stages of completion.
See pictures
of some abandoned IMSU TETFund project site:-
Some
contractors who spoke with our correspondent said all TETFund projects which
are capital projects in IMSU have been abandoned because money is not being
advanced to the contractors in charge.



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