Imo Govt to former appointees, ‘return official vehicles now’

…Directs on who warehouses cars, says none is exempted

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

All former principal officers, former commissioners, all special advisers, general managers of agencies of government and other appointees in the first term of the Governor Hope Uzodimma administration in Imo State who have government official cars have been mandated to return them.

In a statement by Oguike Nwachukwu, the chief press secretary to the governor, Uzodinma also directed Charles Orie, the managing director of Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC), to take custody of all such cars.

The governor further asked Orie to carry out a proper inventory of all official vehicles assigned to his former political appointees.

“This directive affects all former principal officers to the governor, all former commissioners, all special advisers, all general managers of agencies of government, among others,” the statement reads.

“Orie was further urged to ensure that no former political appointee, no matter how highly placed, refuses to surrender his or her official vehicles.

“On January 16, 2024, when governor Uzodimma dissolved his expanded executive council, he had directed that the commissioners should hand over their official vehicles to the permanent secretaries in their ministries while the special advisers should submit their official vehicles at the office of the chief of staff.

“While some former political appointees complied with the directives, others are yet to do so, raising concerns they may have ulterior motives.

It will be recalled that the main opposition party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State had condemned car gifts to about 100 appointees of the governor then declaring such as Greek gift, a reflection of a misplaced priority and a show of indifference to the plight of the people of the state.

In a statement by the then PDP publicity secretary in Imo State, Ogu Bundu Nwadike, said it was an entirely razzmatazz display and an unfair parting gift to undeserving select loyalists and apologists of Uzodimma’s, in view of the uncertainty of the metamorphosing political climate in the State.

The PDP had stated, “Our Party notes with great dismay that at a time other States of the federation are strategizing on thrift and prudence, owing to the lingering realities of the Covid-19 pandemic, the regime in Imo State can afford to place, purchase orders and take delivery of vehicles under payment terms and conditions that further mortgages the economic and financial future of our dear State. Instructively, Covid-19 pandemic, which this regime has tendered as excuse for its lacklustre performance, did not stop the regime from buying those vehicles on credit.

“This Party has it in good authority that the vehicles, which were procured at prices that are 300% more than the real cost of the vehicles, are yet to be paid for. Our Party, therefore, challenges this regime to make public the cost at which the vehicles were procured, with other necessary information, and prove that the vehicles have been paid for.

“This Party does not see any economic wisdom in this regime staking about N1 billion in a poor retrogressive policy like gifting political appointees with vehicles, at a time nothing works in the State. Workers are not paid salaries. Those that are purportedly paid very low fractions of their salaries. Ditto, retirees are not paid pensions. Those that are purportedly paid, only get dying pensions far below their due pension entitlements…”