The Imo State government has denied receipt of N70billion accrued taxes from the federal government as an oil-producing state.
The government said the claim made by a group of people from Egbema in Ohaji/Egbem Local Government Area of the state was totally false.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Oguwike Nwachuku said; “The claim by a group of people claiming to be from Egbema, in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, that N70b was released to the state government as accrued taxes from the oil producing status of the state, is totally false.
“No such money was released to the state government. This government runs an open and transparent process.
“There is no way such a huge amount of N70b could be released to the state government as accrued taxes, secretly.
“The truth is that the information is false. Those behind the press conference should desist from raising false alarm”.
Stakeholders from Egbema LGA at a news conference on Thursday claimed that the federal government paid N70billion to the Imo state government as oil tax.
They pleaded with the Hope Uzodimma administration to use 50 percent of the money to tar roads in Egbema instead of flagging off the construction of Owerri-Mbaise-Umuahia Road and Orlu-Akokwa Road.
They listed Egbema-Ejemekwuru Road, Ejemekwuru-Agwa-Egbema Road, Oguta Motel-Egbema Road and Umuapu-Egbema Road as some of the roads in the oil-producing communities requiring the urgent attention of the state government.
