By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri

The Imo state government yesterday discovered equipment of Nsu ceramic and tiles industry established by the then administration of Sam Mbakwe, in a warehouse owned by the former governor, Rochas Okorocha, along Owerri/ Aba road in the state.

In a find-out mission by the state Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Simon Ebegbulem, to the location of the warehouse said that some patriotic citizens of the state revealed the hidden warehouse to government, stacked with various public-owned facilities.

The commissioner said that the equipment were transferred from Ehime Mbano Local government to the private warehouse in order to establish a personal industry by the Okorocha’s.

The said 55 feet by 200 length warehouse is adjacent to a warehouse where the then Emeka Ihedioha administration, discovered some of the public properties said to be owned by the state.

According to Egbebulem, “There was a time the administration of Hope Uzodimma, raised an alarm of the equipment of Nsu ceramic and tiles industries looted by Administration of Rochas Okorocha, that was after some patriotic citizens of the state raised an alarm of where these Imo properties looted and were kept by the Okorocha’s along Owerri/Aba road.

“We followed up to find out the truth and with what we have seen today, in Okorocha’s warehouse there is a plan by Okorocha, to set up a ceramic factory with government-owned properties as a personal factory.

“A reliable information we have gathered from those guiding the warehouse said that sometimes they (Okorocha’s) people do come here to pick some items and sell them.

“However, some of the equipment we are looking for are here and we have come to take possession of the Imo properties and anybody we see here will blame himself. We have taken over the government properties for the good of Imolites based on their demands.

“Some of the public properties discovered included equipment of the Nsu ceramic and tiles industries set up by the then government of Sam Mbakwe as the industry established for Imo people have been personalized.

“We also found street lights equipment and their components, traffic light accessories, artificial tree plants were all found in the large warehouse owned by Okorocha. Also, a moulder from the Nsu tiles and ceramics and other components of the Nsu tiles Industries were discovered to be in the warehouse and now we have taken over.”

Some of the equipment discovered by the state government at the warehouse owned by Okorocha. Photo by Chinonso Alozie