By: Felix Ikpotor
The Rivers state government has vowed to set up a commission of inquiry into the alleged fraud to the tune of thirty six billion naira that rocked the Auto-Destraut Syringe Factory Ruomosi in Obio/ Akpor local government area of the state and its sister company Integrated Medical Industries Limited under the administration of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
This is even as the management team led by one Mr. Amenya Nwokoma has been sacked while another management structure has been put in place pending the outcome of the commission of inquiry.
The state commissioner for Information and Commission, Emma Okah said this in a statement after it’s weekly State Executive Council meeting that the government had directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Zachaus Adangor to take over the prosecution of Nwokoma for his role in the stealing of the assets of the company.
The government also accused Amaechi of exposing the state to aggravated financial exposure through his complicated request for the expansion of the syringe factory.
Okah in the statement said the expansion of the factory by the Amaechi administration led to the grounded of the factory and put thirty six billion naira investment in jeopardy.
According to Okah, a fraud of that magnitude is not a tea party, adding that the government would stop at anything to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The statement added that the factory was built by the Chief Peter Odili administration and it began production in 2009.
Ameachi who is now the Transportation Minister was yet to respond to the allegations against him.
