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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola SAN to release more names of alleged corrupt contractors in the power sector.
The minister had relased the name of a contractor who did not complete a power project, after 79 percent of the funds had been released.
SERAP disclosed this in a statement by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
The ministry’s letter, with reference number FMP/LU/R2K/2016/T/40 and signed on Fashola’s behalf, by the Permanent Secretary (Power), Louis O.N. Edozien, was sent to SERAP last week.
“Pow Technologies Limited, an Abuja based company, was in 2014 awarded a contract for the supply and installation of test and maintenance equipment relays, etc to various NAPTIN regional training centers (RTCs) (LOT15), with the total contract sum of N87,763,302.40, out of which N79,404,892.66 was paid to Pow Technologies Limited.”
According to the ministry’s letter, although the contract was awarded in 2014, only 13, of the 19 items, have so far been supplied, with six items outstanding.
Details of the six items that Pow Technologies Limited has allegedly failed to supply were not provided by the ministry, according to SERAP, but, the letter indicated some of the action the ministry said it has taken to ensure: “completion of the project, address criminal breach of contract and take remedial action.”
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 Power 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).
SERAP said: “We welcome Fashola’s latest response but we need details of names of other contractors that have collected public funds yet failed to execute power projects.”
