The 27- member Imo State House of Assembly, presided over by the Speaker, Chike Olemgbe, has urged Governor Hope Uzodimma to take necessary steps to recover the parliamentary quarters currently leased out on commercial purpose to yet-to-be mentioned investors.
The member representing Orlu Constituency, Dr. Ikenna Ihezue, moved the motion, yesterday, during a plenary and was co-sponsored by
Bernard Ozoemenam, the member representing Ehime Mbano Constituency, Dominic Ezerioha, Uche Agabige (Orsu), James Esile, Innocent Ikpamezie (Mbaitoli), Chigozie Nwaneri, Kelechi Ofurum (Owerri North) and Bernard Ozoemenam.
The Guardian gathered that the buildings located in Owerri, which were started by the late Sam Mbakwe administration, but were left uncomplicated for decades until the Rochas Okorocha administration, had a commercial deal with a private outfit, which handled the completion, then converted and renamed it to Heroes Apartments.
Ihezue, who is the Chairman, Committee on House Services, said whereas members of the House had no accommodation, but have been operating from hotels, and faced with the problem of settling down, their legal quarters were leased out on commercial basis, illegally.
According to him, he had searched in all the available and relevant files and documents, there were no documented resolutions of the House that the buildings should be leased out in any form.
He condemned the seemingly Gestapo style the then administration used to eject occupants (members of staff and other dependents) from the quarters without enough time to find alternative accommodation.
He urged that members should pressure the governor to recover the buildings the same way he recovered other government property ceded wrongly by previous administrations, re-designating it to parliamentary quarters as originally backed by the law.
Ihezue posited: “As the Chairman on Committee of House Services, I took time to go through records of the Assembly, and, shockingly, there was no House resolution or agreement whereby the House resolved to cede the said property.
“More worrisome is the fact that the illegal conversion has impacted negatively on members and staff of the Assembly, as many of us live in rented apartments and even hotels, whereas we have quarters constitutionally provided for us. I have a burden and duty to see that the right thing is done. The quarters should be recovered.”
