Contract Fraudster: Governor Okowa swindles Deltans, awards contracts worth over N100M to unregistered companies in violation of Public Procurement Act

Secret Reporters

Delta state, one of the oil-rich states in the South-South part of Nigeria, has continually been milked of its resources. The State which prides itself as the ‘Big Heart’ for the past seven years, has not experienced the best in governance, as the government in power continually devices several methods to swindle the funds of the state.

SecretReporters, while investigating the contracts awarded by the government discovered that the government, under the leadership of Ifeanyi Okowa, awarded six contracts to unregistered companies amounting to the total sum of N114,549,766.67

According to Delta state Public Procurement Law 2020, Section 22(6) among other requirements; all bidders, in addition to requirements contained in any solicitation documents shall; accompany every bid with its certificate of registration or incorporation with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

Contrary to Section 22(6) of the state Public Procurement Law, 2020, SecretReporters found out that the government of Ifeanyi Okowa, through the ministry of Education, Rural Water Supply Agency and Ministry of Technical Education awarded six (6) contracts to companies not registered with the CAC thereby violating Delta state Public procurement law.

According to findings by SecretReporters, the following contracts were awarded to unregistered companies by state government;

Ministry of Education:

I.O .EMENIM ENTERPROSES, NIGERIA was awarded the contract of CLEARING OF TOILETS. The contract is worth N5,630,000.00 and the date it was awarded was 11/09/2020 and was completed on 18/09/2020 (1 WEEK).

I.O .EMENIM ENTERPROSES, was awarded the contract of PURCHASING of 1,126 LIQUID SOAP FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE. The contract is worth N6,193,000.00 and the date it was awarded was 20/09/2020 and was completed on 27/09/2020.

Ministry of Technical Education:

ADHONAI AFFAIRS ENTERPRISE, was awarded the contract of CONSTRUCTION OF PRINCIPAL AND VICE PRINCIPAL QUARTERS AT ISSELE-UKU TECHNICAL. The contract is worth N31,306,266.67 and the date it was awarded was 07/09/2020 and was completed on 31/12/2020.

ADHONAI AFFAIRS ENTERPRISE, was awarded the contract of CONSTRUCTION OF BLOCKS AND BRICKS LAYING M WORKSHOP ATAT ISSELE-UKU TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN ANIOCHA NORTH LGA. The contract is worth N26,357,000 and the date it was awarded was 07/09/2020 and was completed on 31/12/2020.

Rural Water Supply Agency:

GROVEL DYNAMICS SERVICES was awarded the contract of CONSTRUCTION OF 7NOS SIMPLE SOLAR SCHEME) SSMBH IN 7 COMMUNITIES. The contract is worth N24, 230,000 and the date it was awarded was 07/09/2020 and was completed on 29/03/2020.

GROVEL DYNAMICS SERVICES was awarded the contract of CONSTRUCTION OF 6NOS SIMPLE SOLAR SCHEME) SSMBH IN 6 COMMUNITIES. The contract is worth N20, 833,500 and the date it was awarded was 07/09/2020 and was completed on 19/01/2021.

When contacted by Secret Reporters, the Delta State Commissioner for Ministry of Technical Education, Shola Daibo, said she has no information about the contract awarded to ADHONAI AFFAIRS ENTERPRISE as she was not the one in office when the contract was awarded. She, however, stated that it was because of irregularities that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa removed her predecessor.
All efforts to reach Mrs. Evelyn Oboro, the Delta State Commissioner For Water Resources, proved abortive as her number remain switched off as at the time of filing this report.