The Nigerian Ministry of Water Resource in a clear example of corruption has spent N18.43 million to construct a single borehole at the Federal University Ndufu-Alike in Ebonyi State.
In what appears an apparent example of contract inflation and racketeering, the Water Resources Ministry claims to have paid N16,059,338.45 to construct a single borehole at the university. An amount that has since been published on govspend.ng, a budgit platform that shows government spending.
Worse still, Mr. Wilfred Ezekama, who owns a hydrology firm, speaking to MAWA Foundation, said drilling a borehole in Ebonyi does not cost beyond N2.6 million. He, however, added that amount should cover drilling and casing, installation of a solar-powered submersible pump, steel tower for the tanks, tanks, pipes, joints & suckers, installation and labour.
The contract was awarded to Mthel Engineering Services Limited, a company registered on July 24, 2001, with operational headquarters in No. 29, Ulonese Street, Awka, Anambra State.
Worse still, a visit to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) website shows that Hemosom Investments Limited, a company that carried out the boreholes’ construction has since been declared inactive by the CAC.
Declaring a company inactive by the CAC, shows that it is a tax-evading company and ought not to have gotten a contract from government institutions for not paying tax.
However, how, Hemosom Investments Limited, a tax invading company got a multi-million-naira contract in Nigeria calls for an investigation as that is a total violation of the country’s procurement Act.
When MAWA Foundation sought a response from the Water Resources Ministry, regarding the construction of a single borehole at the cost of N16.5 million, a senior official of the ministry said he does not want to make any comment on the contract and directed MAWA to speak to the procurement department.
Please note: Picture not real, used for an illustration.