Secret Reporters No place to hide
Secrets Reporters
On 24th May, 2005, one Ayuba Stephen Wakawa alongside some of his family members floated a company named Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd in Maiduguri, Nigeria for the purpose of doing “Unspecified” businesses.
However, records have it that between 2005 and at least April 2011, the company, with Registration Number 624742 failed to get contracts from federal coffers – except if such contracts are concealed from the general public.
But, from May 2011, the Borno-based company’s contract drought changed as Ayuba Stephen Wakawa made his way into the Borno State House of Assembly as the member representing Hawul Local Government Area.
Nevertheless, despite Wakawa’s new status, we gathered that it took nearly another ten years before Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd broke the jinx and surreptitiously creeped into federal coffers to start collecting contracts “illegally”.
Data in our possession revealed that Hon. Wakama’s company made its debut as a contractor for a federal coy in 2020 when the deadly COVID-19 virus was ravaging the world.
According to data buried on Govspend, between 2020 and 2023, the lawless lawmaker’s company benefited N248,455,412 as payment for contracts from various federal government agencies.
While the Federal Ministry of Health is the chief among them, other government agencies that awarded illegal contracts to Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd are Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, National Population Commission, and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.
Nearly all the contracts were awarded when Wakawa was serving as the lawmaker representing Hawul Local Government Area in an era that lasted 12 years, from 2011 to 2023.
Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd received its first contract on 05 December 2020 from Nigerians in Diaspora Commission. The company experienced an inflow of ₦8,188,000.00 “Being invoice for consultancy services for the development of computer aided data tracking programme for Nigerians in the Uk”
A year later, on 17 December 2021, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission wired ₦11,008,647.50 into the account of Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd’s “Being invoice for consultancy services for extension of computer aided artificial intelligence (AI) data tracking for nigerians in europe rendered by 03417030-0001 | micro press computer centre”.
On 01 April 2022, the Federal Ministry of Health experienced an outflow of ₦21,399,209.31 in favour of Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd “Being payment in favour of m/s micro press computer centre ltd for the production of training manual for national guidance for comprehensive new-born care kangaroo”.
Another ₦17,034,050.42 left the treasury of the Federal Ministry of Health on 6th June 2022 “Being payment in favor of micro press computer centre for the production of rmncaeh+n operational plan for coordination and technical quality delivery”.
(Screenshot showing contracts awarded to Micro press computer centre ltd)
Fast forward to 03 February 2023, the Federal Ministry of Health experienced a debit of ₦14,866,217.50 in favour of Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd “Being payment in favour of m/s micro press computer centre ltd for printing of copies of rmncaeh+ m&e meal, qoc aop & qoc implementation guide”.
On the 23rd of the same month, the National Population Commission transferred ₦41,331,742.00 to Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd “Being payment for supply of field officer manual”.
The pattern continued on 29th March 2023 as the sum of ₦32,290,807.32 left the treasury of National Population Commission in favour of Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd “Being payment for printing and supply of 5277 nos field officer’s manual (south)”.
According to records, the National Population Commission rewarded Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd with ₦7,000,016.60 “Being balance payment for printing and supply of field officers manuals” on 3rd April 2023.
Moving on to 17th May 2023, we discovered that the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission sent ₦79,116,258.23 to Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd “Being invoice for contract for emergency procurement of consultancy services for publicity and media services for the organization of global african diaspora symposium (gads) abuja, 2023 (lot 2) rendered by 03417030-0001 | micro press computer centre ltd”.
Lastly, on 22nd December 2023, the sum of ₦16,220,465.12 danced out of the premises of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and landed in the compound of Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd as payment “For the supply of office equipment to nphcda headquarters”.
(Screenshot showing the owners of Micro Press Computer Centre Ltd)
It is imperative to note that Fifth Schedule, Part I, Paragraph 2 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), which is implemented through the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act states that “Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing paragraph, a public officer shall not, except where he is not employed on full-time basis, engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession, or trade, but nothing in this sub-paragraph shall prevent a public officer from engaging in farming.”
