A Nigerian agency, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) saddled with the responsibility for providing access to basic education throughout Nigeria in a clear example of contract inflation has constructed two classrooms block at the sum of N11.84 million in Delta State.
In the deal that was struck under the Federal Ministry of Education, the contract was awarded to Fon Apple Integrated Services Ltd, a company registered on February 7, 2012.
Under the deal, UBEC claims construction of two classroom blocks at Obi-Ayagha Secondary School, Ayagha, Ughelli South Local Government in Delta State cost the sum of N11,843,738.37 an amount that has since been paid to Apple Integrated Services Limited.
Worse still, UBEC has since refused to respond to FOI request by MAWA Foundation asking her to account for the contract. UBEC is notorious for not responding to FOI requests as all the requests sent to it by MAWA were not responded to.
However, a senior official of the agency who spoke to MAWA and did not want his identity disclosed, accused UBEC of colluding with lawmakers to carry out contract racketeering.
“It is not new that UBEC colludes with lawmakers to hide under the disguise of constituency project to carry out contract inflation and racketeering, if that is not the case, tell me how one can contemplate building a two-classroom block at N11.84 million, this is wickedness that has kept Nigeria captive,” he said.
