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Secret Reporters
Data have shown that the Gombe State Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Works & Transport, in two separate deals, awarded a particular project to a tax evading company in the State.
According to the data from the Gombe State Open Procurement Portal, the contract, with the project title “Operation & Maintenance of Gombe Airport 2019-2020” was first awarded by the State Ministry of Water Resources.
The contract, worth N199, 096,625.00, was awarded to JBI TECH CONSULT LIMITED in 2019. However, it was stated on the portal that the project has been completed.
It is unclear the relationship or connection the Ministry of water resources has with maintaining airports.
An investigation by SecretReporters revealed that the same contract was awarded by another ministry in the State to the same company (JBI TECH CONSULT LIMITED).
Data on the State Open Procurement Portal in 2020 show that the ministry of Works & Transport awarded the contract, with the project title “Operation & Maintenance of Gombe Airport 2020”.
According to the data, the same amount, N199, 096,625.00 was earmarked for the same project which was completed by the Ministry of Water Resources.
Recall that the contract initially awarded by the ministry of Water Resources covered ‘2019 and 2020’. Why the project was re-awarded by the Ministry of Works and Transport in 2020 was not stated.
Findings showed that JBI TECH CONSULT LIMITED, which appears to be a family business, was incorporated in GBOKO, Nigeria, with Registration Number 792323. It was registered on 18 Dec 2008, and its current status is unknown. The registered office address of the company shows 20, INYAMRUMECLOSE, FEDERALHOUSINGESTATE, GBOKO, BENUE.
A check on the Corporate Affairs Commission shows that JBI TECH CONSULT LIMITED is not active. According to CAC, “A company that has not been filing its financial returns within a specified time is classified as inactive,” which implies tax evasion – a crime against financial regulation law.
All efforts to speak with officials on why the contract was re-awarded proved abortive as the contact number provided on the contract details was switched off as of press time.
