Human Rights Group Advocates for People Right and Justice, has raised an alarm over the alleged plans by the office of the Senior Special Adviser, SSA, to the President on Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, to divert, misappropriate funds meant for the payment of local contractors who are being owed over N18 billion.
The group accused the office of the SSA to the President on MDGs of plans to divert part of the N15bn released for the payment of the contractors by awarding fresh contracts to themselves and cronies while deliberately refusing and neglecting to pay the contractors who the funds were meant for.
In a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari by its National Coordinator, Victor Giwa, the group accused the office of the SSA of diversion of funds and perversion of some sections of the procurement Act.
Excerpts
According to Giwa “The summary of the facts is that certain Nigerians, businessmen and small scale business owners and employers of labour had in 2013/2014 bided and won numerous contracts under the OSSAP on MDGs for various works in all the states of Nigeria. The contracts were executed, evaluated and confirmation was given by the relevant authority and certify action issued for onward payment.
“Sir, instead of prompt payment of the contractors, who had by their letter of awards, sought and received loans and other credit facilities from various bank for the execution of the project, the former SSAP indulged in selective payment, manipulation and fund diversion, paying a meagre amount to the real contractors.
He noted: “After series of intense pressure and agitation from these contractors and the intervention of the former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Iweala, in 2014, the then SSAP, incorporated these contractors’ liabilities in the value of 15 billion naira, in the 2015 budget of her office, under the sub head MDG Intervention 1 and 2 and the contractors were pacify to wait for the release.
“It is shocking that while the OSSAP is now in receipt of the said sum via a warrant of release dated December 8, 2015, under the sub head MDG Intervention 1 and 2, officers of the OSSAP have failed, refuse and neglected to pay the said contractors their full sum. But have rather engaged in diversion of this fund into award of new contracts, for personal gains. This is in clear breach of the Fiscal Responsibility and Financial (Control and Management) Acts, Laws of the Federation.