The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in a shocking example of procurement abuse that has helped undermine Nigeria’s development has spent the sum of N25.250 million to renovate six classrooms block in Delta State.
In the deal, NDE awarded the contract for the renovation of six classrooms block at Zoukumor Primary School, Ojobo in Burutu Federal Constituency of Delta State at the price of N26,250,000.
Responding to MAWA Foundation FOI request, asking it to account for Zonal Intervention Project under her supervision in Delta State, NDE in a letter signed by Mr. Aliyu Abubakar, Director of Procurement disclosed that it awarded the contract to Auktopus Technical System Limited, a company registered on August 1, 2018.
This is even as Mr. Johson Ikebugo, a civil engineer speaking to MAWA, said that amount is enough to build 12 classrooms block, teachers’ offices, and hire personnel. Ikebugo who described the amount as contract inflation said there is no way one justifies renovating six classroom blocks for N26.2 million.
Worse still, a senior staff of the Directorate who spoke to MAWA on the condition of anonymity described the contract as a wicked corruption that is been perpetrated by lawmakers and government agencies using zonal intervention projects as a cover.
“We are religious people, but we are not afraid of God, how can one explain that he renovated six classrooms blocks for N26.2 million, he told MAWA”
This report is supported by the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC)