A report by the Nigerian Senate has queried the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Culture, Nebolisa Anako, over the payment of N460 million to contractors without completing the projects.
It was disclosed that payment of N460 million was made to contractors for the execution of projects in Ekiti and Ebonyi states, according to a 2015 report of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
The report was, however, submitted to the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, which is probing the spendings of Federal Government’s agencies.
The report listed the projects paid for but not completed to include: N51million for the construction of roads, parking lots, drainage at Ureje Dam in Ado Ekiti; N132 million for the construction of Ureje Dam waterfront; N138 million for the construction of event centre/restaurant at Ureje Dam; N122 million for construction of the fence, gatehouse at Ureje Dam waterfront; and N17 million for the construction of a fence at Exekuna cultural museum in Nchi-Onu, Amuzu Ezza Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
It asked the ministry to ensure the contractors either completed the work or refund the money and forward the recovery particulars for audit verification.
But the permanent secretary, in his written response, said the contractor had completed 60 per cent of the projects at the Ureje Dam in Ado Ekiti and promised to hand over the projects on or before June 30, 2017, to the ministry.
However, the contractor had yet to complete the projects as at the time the ministry’s Permanent Secretary appeared before the Committee on Tuesday.
The chairman of the committee, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, ordered the Permanent Secretary to get the contractor to complete the job.
“Go and get him to complete that job. Until this man does this job, you will never have respite,” Urhoghide said
