By CHIDI NKWOPARA
OWERRI—Imo State governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has threatened to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to quiz and prosecute those found to have defrauded government-owned Imo Palm Plantation.

Governor Okorocha, who read the riot act when he paid a visit to the establishment, also expressed anger over what he described as massive fraud perpetrated by the last administration.

“The last administration left the establishment in a debt profile of over N1 billion. This includes about N450 million deposited for palm products that were not supplied and N750 million owed as salaries and allowances,” Okorocha said.

He reassured the citizenry that government would make the alleged culprits face the full weight of the law, adding that he was resolute in reviving and repositioning Imo Palm Plantation.

He directed the new management of the plantation to give five percent of the profit to the host communities, adding that the policy was in line with his proposed fourth-tier government.

Welcoming the governor earlier, the Managing Director, Neil Danby, said the new management had introduced several innovations aimed at repositioning the establishment for optimal production.

One of the highlights of the event was a tour of the plantation, the modern milling plant that would soon be installed and the inspection of the 85,000 improved palm seedlings imported from Cuba by the new management.