The immediate past governor of Imo state, Emeka Ihedioha and his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha, have been indicted for allegedly misappropriating of N214 billion of local government funds. Vanguard reports that the probe panel was set up by the Imo state government led by Governor Hope Uzodinma, to investigate the finances of local government councils. Legit.ng gathered that the auditor general of local government and chieftaincy affairs had earlier in the year indicted the same Ihedioha’s administration of misappropriating N19.3 billion also from local government funds. Xenophobia: Top African football country cancels friendly match with South Africa The report said that on Thursday, July 23, while submitting the report of the investigating panel, to Governor Uzodinma, the chairman, Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), disclosed that a whopping N214 billion of local government funds was either misappropriated or missing between 2011 and 2019. Former governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha. Credit: Twitter/Rochas Okorocha. Source: Getty Images He said although N171billion was outrightly misappropriated, a total of N73 billion was diverted, adding that the administrations of Ihedioha and Okorocha treated the local government funds as personal property instead of using it to work for the people. The panel chairman said the reports had been prepared in such a manner to guide the government in appreciating the enormity of looting perpetrated during the period. Receiving the report, Governor Uzodinma regretted that leaders who were entrusted with public funds chose to betray the trust of the masses. While commending the members of the panel for a painstaking job, the governor assured them that his administration was resolute in stamping out corruption in the state and enthroning a culture of probity, transparency and accountability in the finances of the state.
