For
sometime now, the polity of Imo State seems to be heated up again. This time it
is with the allegations of financial scam on the state Deputy Governor, Sir
Jude Agbaso which has also culminated in the current move by the Imo State
House of Assembly to impeach the Deputy Governor. It all started with the
report of the Imo State House of Assembly Special Ad-Hoc Committee to
investigate the remote causes of stoppage/abandonment of work on some roads in
Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe municipalities headed by the member Representing Isiala
Mbano State Constituency, Hon. Simeon Iwunze.
sometime now, the polity of Imo State seems to be heated up again. This time it
is with the allegations of financial scam on the state Deputy Governor, Sir
Jude Agbaso which has also culminated in the current move by the Imo State
House of Assembly to impeach the Deputy Governor. It all started with the
report of the Imo State House of Assembly Special Ad-Hoc Committee to
investigate the remote causes of stoppage/abandonment of work on some roads in
Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe municipalities headed by the member Representing Isiala
Mbano State Constituency, Hon. Simeon Iwunze.
The committee has submitted its report to the state legislature
and the report is summarized as follows: The Imo State Governor had an informal
understanding with one JPROS International Nigeria Limited owned by a Lebanese
named Mr. Joseph Dina, to start construction work on the Warehouse Orlu Road
Junction-Aba Road which traverses Odunze and Amigbo streets and Old Nekede Road
in Owerri Municipality. Work commenced accordingly and the Governor promised
Mr. Dina that the Imo Government would pay him complete contract sum for the
road construction when fund would be provided. In February 2012, the state
Ministry of Works re-negotiated downwards the contract sum from the initial One
Billion,
and the report is summarized as follows: The Imo State Governor had an informal
understanding with one JPROS International Nigeria Limited owned by a Lebanese
named Mr. Joseph Dina, to start construction work on the Warehouse Orlu Road
Junction-Aba Road which traverses Odunze and Amigbo streets and Old Nekede Road
in Owerri Municipality. Work commenced accordingly and the Governor promised
Mr. Dina that the Imo Government would pay him complete contract sum for the
road construction when fund would be provided. In February 2012, the state
Ministry of Works re-negotiated downwards the contract sum from the initial One
Billion,
Three Hundred and Twelve Million and Six thousand Eight Hundred
and Seventy Four Naira (=N=1,312,106,874.00) to One Billion, One Hundred and
Fifty Million Naira (=N1,150,0000,000.00). The state Ministry of Works headed
by the Deputy Governor as the ministry’s commissioner, through a letter written
by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, wrote to the Governor seeking the
Governor’s approval to award the contract of the construction of said road by
JPROS. The Governor approved the said contract and without recourse to Ministry
of Works, the state Ministry of Finance and the Office of the
Accountant-General paid 100% of the contract sum directly to JPROS.
and Seventy Four Naira (=N=1,312,106,874.00) to One Billion, One Hundred and
Fifty Million Naira (=N1,150,0000,000.00). The state Ministry of Works headed
by the Deputy Governor as the ministry’s commissioner, through a letter written
by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, wrote to the Governor seeking the
Governor’s approval to award the contract of the construction of said road by
JPROS. The Governor approved the said contract and without recourse to Ministry
of Works, the state Ministry of Finance and the Office of the
Accountant-General paid 100% of the contract sum directly to JPROS.
It was also discovered that the contractor was even over-paid
the contractor sum for work which is yet to go mid-way. Recently, it was
noticed that pace of work on the road slowed down and when confronted by the
Special Committee of the state House, JPROS alleged that the slow pace of work
was because of lack of fund. When queried further, Mr Dina alleged that he gave
Sir Agbaso the sum of 458 Million Naira from the contract sum alleging that it
was a consideration for Sir Agbaso’s alleged promise to give the company more
contracts in future.
the contractor sum for work which is yet to go mid-way. Recently, it was
noticed that pace of work on the road slowed down and when confronted by the
Special Committee of the state House, JPROS alleged that the slow pace of work
was because of lack of fund. When queried further, Mr Dina alleged that he gave
Sir Agbaso the sum of 458 Million Naira from the contract sum alleging that it
was a consideration for Sir Agbaso’s alleged promise to give the company more
contracts in future.
As a proof, Dina presented a text message from his mobile line
wherein he alleged the Deputy Governor sent to him from the Deputy Governor’s
MTN line 08033444421 directing him to pay the above amount into. Dina also
claimed that on the receipt of the contract money in February 2012, that he
consequently paid the sum of Three Hundred and Twenty Five Million Naira
(=N=325,000,000.00) into Guarantee Trust Bank account of Three Brothers Concept
Ltd. from JPROS Diamond Bank Account No. 0015810435. He tendered Cheque No.
30794835 which he claimed he did the payment with.
wherein he alleged the Deputy Governor sent to him from the Deputy Governor’s
MTN line 08033444421 directing him to pay the above amount into. Dina also
claimed that on the receipt of the contract money in February 2012, that he
consequently paid the sum of Three Hundred and Twenty Five Million Naira
(=N=325,000,000.00) into Guarantee Trust Bank account of Three Brothers Concept
Ltd. from JPROS Diamond Bank Account No. 0015810435. He tendered Cheque No.
30794835 which he claimed he did the payment with.
He also claimed to have paid another One Hundred and Thirty
Three Million (=N=133,000,000.00) in June 2012 to IHSAN BDC Ltd. bank account
No. 105334698 with UBA Plc. drawn from another JPROS’s Diamond Bank Plc account
no. 0015810435. Based on the above, the Imo House of Assembly decided to
commence impeachment proceedings against the Deputy Governor by serving him
with a Notice of Allegation as contained in Section 188(2) of the country’s
constitution.
Three Million (=N=133,000,000.00) in June 2012 to IHSAN BDC Ltd. bank account
No. 105334698 with UBA Plc. drawn from another JPROS’s Diamond Bank Plc account
no. 0015810435. Based on the above, the Imo House of Assembly decided to
commence impeachment proceedings against the Deputy Governor by serving him
with a Notice of Allegation as contained in Section 188(2) of the country’s
constitution.
From the above, was it not wrong for the State Ministry of
Finance and Accountant General’s (AG) office to fund JPROS when the Ministry of
Works only asked for approval of the contract from the Governor? Is this not
against the provisions of the Procurement (Due Process) Act which stipulates guidelines
for the handling government contracts. Was it not improper for the Ministry of
Finance and AG’s Office to have funded the contractor directly without recourse
to the supervising ministry, the Ministry of Works that originated the memo for
the contract? Was it proper for the Ministry of Finance and A.G’s Office to
make 100% payment and even overpaid JPROS on a project that has not been
executed up to 50%? Respectfully, I think that if the Ministry of Finance and
Accountant-General’s office had sent the contract sum to the Ministry of Works
that had the details of the contract the overpayment and unearned sum might
have been noticed and probably avoided.
Finance and Accountant General’s (AG) office to fund JPROS when the Ministry of
Works only asked for approval of the contract from the Governor? Is this not
against the provisions of the Procurement (Due Process) Act which stipulates guidelines
for the handling government contracts. Was it not improper for the Ministry of
Finance and AG’s Office to have funded the contractor directly without recourse
to the supervising ministry, the Ministry of Works that originated the memo for
the contract? Was it proper for the Ministry of Finance and A.G’s Office to
make 100% payment and even overpaid JPROS on a project that has not been
executed up to 50%? Respectfully, I think that if the Ministry of Finance and
Accountant-General’s office had sent the contract sum to the Ministry of Works
that had the details of the contract the overpayment and unearned sum might
have been noticed and probably avoided.
Moreover, there would have been the possibility of observing
compliance with due process by ensuring that payments to JPROS were monitored
and done based on evaluation of work done on the road. It is my belief that the
lack of due process in handling the entire contract opened the room for the
company to misappropriate the fund since he had enough money at his disposal.
Assuming the contractor had absconded with the entire contract sum, that might
have brought a bigger disaster to the Imo State Government. Be that as it may,
I am not holding any body’s brief but I must observe that the Simeon Iwunze-Led
Committee did a thorough job.
compliance with due process by ensuring that payments to JPROS were monitored
and done based on evaluation of work done on the road. It is my belief that the
lack of due process in handling the entire contract opened the room for the
company to misappropriate the fund since he had enough money at his disposal.
Assuming the contractor had absconded with the entire contract sum, that might
have brought a bigger disaster to the Imo State Government. Be that as it may,
I am not holding any body’s brief but I must observe that the Simeon Iwunze-Led
Committee did a thorough job.
Its recommendations are very apt and commendable. However, the
most salient contention now is JPROS’s claim that he gave a bribe of 458
Million Naira to the State Deputy Governor. This is a grave criminal allegation
and should be taken seriously. However, the Deputy Governor has completely
denied Dina’s allegations against him. Respectfully therefore, I think it is
very necessary to investigate and establish the fact that the Deputy Governor
actually sent the said text message from the Deputy Governor’s phone number.
This can be done by getting MTN to produce the call log of the said phone
numbers of Mr. Dina and the Deputy Governor during the period in question.
most salient contention now is JPROS’s claim that he gave a bribe of 458
Million Naira to the State Deputy Governor. This is a grave criminal allegation
and should be taken seriously. However, the Deputy Governor has completely
denied Dina’s allegations against him. Respectfully therefore, I think it is
very necessary to investigate and establish the fact that the Deputy Governor
actually sent the said text message from the Deputy Governor’s phone number.
This can be done by getting MTN to produce the call log of the said phone
numbers of Mr. Dina and the Deputy Governor during the period in question.
Also, with the help of the Corporate Affairs Commission, GTB and
UBA, it will also be expedient to ascertain whether the Deputy Governor is in
any way linked to the said companies the alleged bribe monies were paid into.
It might be necessary to also trace the directors/bank account signatories of
Three Brothers Concept Ltd. and HSAN BDC Ltd. It should also be ascertained
whether the acclaimed amounts were really paid into the said company accounts.
Information on transaction(s) in the accounts and the signatories to the
accounts within the period under review will also help in this matter.
UBA, it will also be expedient to ascertain whether the Deputy Governor is in
any way linked to the said companies the alleged bribe monies were paid into.
It might be necessary to also trace the directors/bank account signatories of
Three Brothers Concept Ltd. and HSAN BDC Ltd. It should also be ascertained
whether the acclaimed amounts were really paid into the said company accounts.
Information on transaction(s) in the accounts and the signatories to the
accounts within the period under review will also help in this matter.
I believe the above and other possible ways not mentioned herein
are the suggested ways to establish the claim of Dina and the culpability or
otherwise of the Deputy Governor viz-a-viz the said financial scam. Iwuala
writes from Owerri. emperoriwuala@yahoo.com
are the suggested ways to establish the claim of Dina and the culpability or
otherwise of the Deputy Governor viz-a-viz the said financial scam. Iwuala
writes from Owerri. emperoriwuala@yahoo.com
Source:
sun
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