- Reports of the alleged plan had circulated on social media on Friday
- Confimed that Wike expressed concerns and frustrations regarding irregularities observed in the procurement and execution of certain project
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has denied reports that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike plans to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the immediate past FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, over certain irregularities in the award of contracts and other such matters.
Reports of the alleged plan had circulated on social media on Friday.
A statement issued by FCTA director, Anthony Ogunleye, however, stated that the reports are entirely baseless and without any merit whatsoever.
Ogunleye said although Wike, during his routine inspections of various projects within the FCT, expressed concerns and frustrations regarding irregularities observed in the procurement and execution of certain projects, he didn’t contemplate or authorise any action against anyone.
He added that the reports making the round are designed to mischievously sow discord and confusion.
He, therefore, urged the public and well-meaning Nigerians to exercise caution when they encounter such unfounded reports.
Meanwhile, Wike has faulted the contract sum variation of Ushafa-Bwari road, describing it as very embarrassing and that his administration would not accept it.
The minister made this known yesterday when in the company of the minister of state for the FCT, Mariya Mahmoud and other top management staff of the FCT, visited the Ushafa-Bwari road and Lower Usuma Dam to inspect projects awarded by the FCDA and FCTA.
Wike said it was unfortunate that while they went to the Ushafa-Bwari road, it was very embarrassing to see that the road which was awarded in 2017 was yet to be completed despite the amount of money paid to the contractor.
“This is not what we are going to take. The job was awarded in 2017 at the cost of N20 billion, in 2020 the revised the contract sum to N50 billion. As I speak to you, we have paid almost N50 billion what is outstanding from what the man in charge has said is N900 million.
“Now the N900 million will not be enough to complete the job that they have done about 90 per cent and thereby we move to another variation. This is what we are not going to accept. Even the engineering service, we are going to overhaul the entire system.
‘I have never seen a thing like this before in my life. What you see in FCDA contract varies from N10 billiy to N120 billion, from N50 billion to N200 billion. It is alarming and I am not going to accept it,” he said.
While speaking of the Lower Usuma Dam, the minister said he was informed the contract was awarded in August 2022 as an emergency contract, questioning why an emergency contract was yet to be executed more than a year later.
“I was told that the Usuma Water System contract has been awarded as an emergency contract. We just heard now that it has not been awarded fully, that it was just a mere letter of intent to the contractor since last August.
“We know the importance of this project because it supplies water to our people in the city and these environments. Water is very important, so I have directed that it is not an emergency again if something has happened since last year, you called it an emergency till now, and it is no longer an emergency.
“If at all it was an emergency, we are going to start all over, and we are going to supervise the procurement process, and we will allow other companies to bid as far as this project is concerned, “ he said.
The minister further said that the administration has chosen about 10 contracts, if not more, and has called the companies and has agreed with them on the contracts.