Human Rights Group Advocates for People Right & Justice has raised the
\nalarm over alleged plans by the office of the Senior Special Adviser to
\nthe President on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to divert over N15
\nbillion meant to settle its contractors.<\/p>\n
The group claimed that top officials of the MDGs of diverting the money
\nand using same to award fresh contracts to themselves and cronies.<\/p>\n
In a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari signed by its National
\nCoordinator, Victor Giwa the group accused the office of the Senior
\nSpecial Adviser to the President on MDG of diversion of funds and
\nperversion of some sections of the procurement Act.<\/p>\n
Wrote Giwa,\u00a0 Your Excellency, the summary of the facts is that certain
\nNigerians, businessmen and small scale business owners and employers of
\nlabour had in 2013\/2014 bided and won numerous contracts\u00a0 under the OSSAP
\non MDGs for various works in all the States of Nigeria. The contracts were
\nexecuted, evaluated and confirmation was given by the relevant authority
\nand certify action issued for onward payment.<\/p>\n
“Sir, instead of prompt payment of the contractors, who had\u00a0 by their
\nletter of awards, sought and received loans and other credit facilities
\nfrom various Bank for the execution of the project, the former SSAP
\nindulged in selective payment, manipulation and fund diversion, paying a
\nmeagre amount to the real contractors.<\/p>\n
He noted that “however, after series of intense pressure and agitation
\nfrom these contractors and the intervention of the former Minister of
\nfinance, Dr Ngozi Iweala, in 2014, the then SSAP, incorporated these
\ncontractors\u2019 liabilities in the value of 15 billion naira,\u00a0 in the 2015
\nbudget of her office, under the sub head MDG Intervention 1 and 2 and the
\ncontractors were pacify to wait for the release.<\/p>\n
“it is shocking that while the OSSAP is now in receipt of the said sum via
\na warrant of release dated 8th day of December, 2015, under the sub head
\nMDG Intervention 1 and 2 , officers of the OSSAP\u00a0 have failed, refuse\u00a0 and
\nneglected to pay the said contractors their full sum.\u00a0 But has rather
\nengaged in diversion of this fund into award of new contracts, for
\npersonal gains. This is in clear breach of the Fiscal Responsibility and
\nFinancial (control & management) Acts, Laws of the Federation. More
\nso, the officials even in the award of the new contract, have brazenly
\nperverted the express provisions of section 30 (a-e) of Public Procurement
\nAct, in that they neither permitted bidders or attendees to observe the
\nbidding process nor did they cause all the bids to be made in the open.<\/p>\n
It’s is further curious that the OSSAP-MDGS knowing fully well that we
\nhave only but two weeks to the end of the 2015 Fiscal year, are still bent
\non going ahead with the Procurement process that is anything but fraud.
\nAll entreaties for the OSSAP to channel the funds into liquidating it’s
\nliabilities to its contractors have been met with an excuse that the
\nProjects are meant for the Members of the National Assembly.<\/p>\n
The constitution of Nigeria is very clear that while the Assembly
\nAppropriates the Executive Implements so we are at a loss on how it has
\nnow become the responsibilities of the National Assembly to insist on the
\nimplementation of projects that are bound to fail and that will only lead
\nto increasing the already over bloated liabilities of the Federal
\nGovernment.<\/p>\n
Consequently, Your Excellency, we are seeking the following prayers:<\/p>\n
(i).Immediate payment of the duly owed contractors through the MDG
\nIntervention 1 & 2 releases<\/p>\n
(ii) Outright cancellation or stoppage of the award of new contracts.<\/p>\n
Giwa said that the group is an international human right organisation,
\nsaddled with the responsibilities of educating, protecting and the defence
\nof the rights of citizens in Nigeria, through court action, media
\ncampaign, and public protests among others.\u00a0 We and that they were
\nconstrained to write based on the complaints and authority of the
\nASSOCIATION OF REGISTERED CONTRACTORS MDGS, NIGERIA.<\/p>\n
“Your Excellency sir, permit me to firstly establish and affirm our
\nunalloyed support for your administration, with regard to the fight
\nagainst corruption, especially in ministries, extra ministerial offices
\nagencies and parastalters.\u00a0 Sir, your excellent fight against corruption,
\nwhich manifest in various forms like diversion of fund, misappropriation
\nof fund, abuse of office and procurement Act and others, is not for your
\npersonal gratification but for public enrichment, so that the public and
\nindeed Nigerians can collectively benefit from government services or
\nopportunity in form of dividends of democracy” he added.<\/p>\n
Giwa noted that”Your Excellency, your desire to stamp out public
\ncorruption and ensure that public officers conduct business of government,
\nincluding procurement of goods, work and services are conducted with due
\nprocess and in accord to law, recently led to the compulsory retirement of
\nover 11 permanent secretaries in varying ministries. These actions among
\nother no doubt eloquently reflect your unmistaken stance on Zero Tolerance
\nto Corruption in public offices. Indeed Nigerians are appreciating of the
\nchange mantra.<\/p>\n
“But sadly, Your Excellency, your message and effort to stamp out
\ncorruption in official spaces seem to be ignored by certain agencies,
\nspecifically and in this case, Office of Senior Special Assistant to the
\nPresident, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (OSSAP). This is\u00a0 based on
\nthe activities of the officers in this agency who\u00a0 are currently\u00a0 alleged
\nto be involved in diversion of public fund,\u00a0 fund misappropriation, abuse
\nof office and perversion of\u00a0 sections\u00a0 30 (a-c) of Public Procurement
\nAct., in the award of contracts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Human Rights Group Advocates for People Right & Justice has raised the alarm over alleged plans by the office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Millennium Development…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41842,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n