BY ARCHIBONG JEREMIAH The management of the Cross River State College of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences, Itigidi, in Abi Local Government Area, LGA, Cross River State, met the proverbial “judgment
The management of the Cross River State College of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences, Itigidi, in Abi Local Government Area, LGA, Cross River State, met the proverbial “judgment day” on Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Of the 79 contracts, 36 were awarded by the immediate past government of Ben Ayade in violation of several provisions of the State Procurement Law, 2020 and the Project Development Objective of the SFTAS program, which is to strengthen fiscal transparency, accountability, and sustainability in participating Nigerian states. All 79 contracts were awarded at the exact amount the contractors proposed.
Four contracts were not found in the 2020 and 2021 budgets of the state as required. Two of these are from the Ministry of Health while the others are from the Internal Revenue Service .The contracts by the Ministry of Health are renovation of the building used for the Registry/Registrar’s Office, College of Nursing Itigidi, valued at N20 million, awarded to Quintito Integrated Service Nig.
Conceal Nigeria, which is registered as an estate agent and maintenance company, was contracted to print pantographs and HMIS data tools for N65 million. There are five cases where the only legal company that bidded was kicked aside. The companies kicked aside are Dadaman Global Invest. Nig Ltd in the contract to print 7000 units of vehicle registration booklets and 3000 units of motorcycle registration booklets for IRS – N9,500,000; Breatinor Ventures, collection/evacuation, and transportation to dumpsites for the feasibility waste to wealth program in Ikom Urban – N20,300,000; Fergobest Nig.
Tax clearance for three years is sacrosant as it is mandatory according to the check-list of documents required for Due Process review and certification. Bedas Enterprise was paid N20,000,000 for the procurement of delivery kits for safe motherhood 35 days after it got registered.This six-week investigation also uncovered seven contracts awarded to four companies affiliated with politicians or Politically Exposed Persons, PEPs. Two are commissioners, one was an aide and relative to Governor Ben Ayade, and the other a 2019 House of Assembly candidate cum popular radio presenter turned legislative aide.
Gobenchi Supply and Investment Company Ltd, which was contracted to renovate General Hospital, Itigidi for N48,000,000 and procurement of Integrated Data Extraction and Analysis software for N21,000,000 has two Directors, George O’ben-Etchi Mr. Awade AKA Last Prophet contested and lost in the February 2019 general elections, where he ran under the Social Democratic Party for the Obanliku State Constituency in the House of Assembly category. He is currently a media aide to the member representing Obudu/Bekwarra/Obalinku in the House of Representatives, Hon. Peter Akpanke.It was further established that nine contractors did not go to their sites despite being mobilized, while one abandoned the project halfway.
Renaissance Datarium got N18,000,000 to landscape the college premises, including the construction of the perimeter fence, but it never did.Also, Entek B was paid N18,000,000 for the construction of additional 3 classrooms to meet NBTE’s specifications like others, but it never went to the site. The contractor only renovated the PHC in Adadama, Abi, and abandoned that of Katchuan Irruan in Boki and Bendehe Ekem in Etung LGAs.
After two hours, an agitated O’Ben was sitting face-to-face with this reporter in Chef Zanga’s kitchen. Great Ogban and a lady accompanied him. Quintito Integrated Service Nig. Ltd was contracted to renovate a building for use as Registry/Registrar’s Office, College of Nursing Itigidi for N20,000,000. The company, though registered, is linked to Anthony Andor Ulayi, a relative and aide of the then Governor, Sen. Ayade.
Efanga Etim, Cross River State/South-South Zonal Lead for the #FollowTheMoney campaign commended the investigation and called for law enforcement. “It is time the government looks into issues of transparency, accountability, and service delivery particularly in the public sector.Two separate visits were made to the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Environment, and Land as well as the Internal Revenue Service and Due Process and Price Intelligence Bureau after their information officers could not provide answers to this reporter’s questions.
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