TheCable

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) says Babatunde Fashola, minister of power, works and housing, has named contractors who failed to execute power projects after receiving payment.

In a statement on Sunday, Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director of SERAP, said the minister forwarded the list to the organisation.

Oluwadare said SERAP has been invited to inspect a compendium of verified and paid/outstanding liabilities of contractors, kept at the offices of the Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Limited/GTE.

He said a letter from the ministry with reference number FMP/LU/R2K/2016/T/40 and signed on Fashola’s behalf by Louis Edozien, the ministry’s permanent secretary, revealed how Pow Technologies Limited, an Abuja-based company, was awarded a contract in 2014 to the tune of N87,763,302.40 for the supply and installation of test and maintenance equipment relays to various NAPTIN regional training centers (RTCs) (LOT15).

A total of N79,404,892.66 was said to have been paid to Pow Technologies Limited, but only 13 of the 19 items have so far been supplied.

According to Oluwadare, the ministry said while the contractors undertook to take remedial action, they have failed to complete the project for which funds have been released.

The ministry also pointed out that it submitted a petition to the commissioner of police, Abuja on January 13, 2016, and that the police instituted a case for the prosecution of Messrs Pow at the upper area court.

The ministry also said it has sought and received legal advice to pursue a civil action at the FCT high court while a report of criminal breach of contract has been made to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“I write with respect to the Ministry’s letter regarding details of alleged corrupt contractors and to forward the attached responses from some of the Ministry’s Agencies namely: National Bulk Electricity Trading Plc; National Power Training Institute of Nigeria and Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Limited/GTE for your information,” the ministry’s letter read.

But SERAP responded saying it needed more names of contractors who failed to deliver power projects after being paid.

“We welcome Mr Fashola’s latest response and the information regarding Pow Technologies Limited. But we need details of names of other contractors that have collected public funds yet failed to execute power projects,” SERAP said.

“We will continue to push the Ministry and its agencies to reveal more details of alleged corrupt contractors and companies, as contained in our FOI request. We will continue to pursue our FOI suit at the Federal High Court, Lagos, before Justice Chuka Austine Obiozor, a Professor of Law, who has granted an order for leave in the case.”

In February, SERAP sued the minister, compelling him to provide specific details of the names and whereabouts of the contractors as stipulated in a freedom of information (FOI) request to the ministry.