By Our Special Correspondent, Abuja on October 5, 2022

This is not the best time for the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which says it has zero tolerance for corrupt practices in the country, as an agency under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) is enmeshed in alleged frauds.

The Anti-corruption Advocacy International (AAI) is saying all relevant anti-corruption agencies of the Federal Government should probe how contracts are being awarded and implemented by OSSAP-SDGs under the leadership of Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State.

In a petition dated 20th September 2022, the AAI alleged that "the fraud was carried out through double payment to a contractor for the same contract with the same narration of the same project at Aliyu Mustapha Primary School, Yola, Adamawa State."

Dr. Tony Smith, an officer in charge of Investigations at AAI disclosed that the contractor, Exceed Klass Limited, which was registered in  May July 2018 with RC Number 1508363 and with the accounts number 6546654010 at First City Monument Bank (FCMB) was paid One Hundred and Five million Four Hundred and Thirty-nine Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty-one Naira, Seventy-five kobo (N105,439,921.75) to construct 3 Nos 6 classrooms block with VIP toilets at Aliyu Mustapha Primary School, Yola Adamawa State.

"Our investigations revealed that the contractor was paid twice in less than three weeks by the OSSAP-SDGs for the same project," the petition alleges. 

"On 24 December 2020 OSSAP-SDGs paid a sum of N105.439,921.75 to Exceed Klass Limited with accounts number 6546654010 at FCMB Bank and the accounts were credited and just 19 days after, which was on 13 January 2021, another same N105.439,921.75  payment was paid by OSSAP-SDGs to the same contractor Exceed Klass Nigeria Limited." 

According to Dr. Smith, the AAI investigation revealed that Aliyu Mustapha Primary School, Yola, Adamawa State is non-existence, adding that "what we have in Yola South is Mustapha Primary School, Bako ward. This is a public primary school and  Aliyu Mustapha Academy is a private school. Our fact-finding team confirmed the non-existence of any OSSAP-SDGs project in the school. Our interactions with the Proprietor of  Aliyu Mustapha Academy, Mrs. (Dr) Amanda Pam confirmed that no SDGs project was sited in the academy. 

"Interestingly, there is one other company named Elgadi Globa Ventures Limited which was paid the sum of N73,609,516.88 on the same date of 24 December 2020 for doing the job of rehabilitating 2nos. 6 classroom blocks and block wall fencing at this same Aliyu Mustapha Primary School, Yola, Adamawa."

"We have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), the receipt of which had been communicated to us. What bothers us as anti-corruption activists is that the SDGs is a project office which has been using the Nigerian taxpayers' money and funds from the United Nations to do its operations. The question is how much of these monies have found their way into private pockets through these fraudulent practices?

"We are using this opportunity to inform the EFCC that Nigerians want answers and looking forward to bringing the perpetrators of these nefarious activities to book, while we want a due diligent investigation of this allegation. We are also calling on the Minister of Finance, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, to endeavour to be checking on these agencies to which her office releases taxpayers’ money for proper delivery and accountability as there is an urgent need for the Federal Government to set up an independent probe to unravel how billions of naira that have been appropriated to SDGs under the leadership Mrs. Adejoke Orelope Adefulire have been utilized. 

"The Anti-corruption Advocacy International may approach the court of law to enforce special probe of OSSAP-SDGs in soonest possible time," Dr Smith said.

Source Daily Sports Nigeria

Posted October 5, 2022

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