From Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
Bauchi State Coalition against Financial Crimes and Injustice, BACAFCI has reported the former administration of Governor Mohammed Abubakar and his officials before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for committing the state to a supply of fertilizer deal of over two billion Naira without a formal contract entered.
The Chairman of BACAFCI, Alhaji Bibi Dogo stated this in a statement he distributed to reporters in Bauchi today, Monday, June 22, 2020, where he alleged that from the record in their hands-on 18th August, 2016, the Bauchi State Agricultural Supply Company BASAC confirmed that for the 2016 farming season it received over 73,197 bags of fertilizer from three companies.
“El-Abbas Universal supplied 65,997 bags, that is 109.99trucks, MBS Merchant supplied 6,600 bags that are 11 trucks and Gabadori Nigeria Limited supply 600 bags only, that is one truck only but while seeking approval from the former state Governor via a memo the then commissioner of Agriculture added 99.9 trucks instead of 98.9 trucks, and for El Abbas universal concept that supplied 109.99 trucks the memo claimed it was 323.29trucks with over 200 trucks added, while for MBBS Merchant Limited the number of trucks was inflated from 11 trucks to 100 trucks and the money inflates was paid”.
He faulted the way the contractors were invited via intent letter just to defraud the state and divert funds without a budget for it or the approval of the procurement bureau, due process office, the memo which the former governor approved inflated the price of fertilizer per bag from N6,100 to N7,200 for falsely added trucks.
Dogo said the due process certificate for 2016 approved 400,000 bags of fertilizer for the 2016 season at the cost of N2,813,340,000,00 which when divided at the cost of N6,100 per bag, there was never due process again for the variation and no budget approval by the state assembly for the fake increase.
He said from the Memo sent to the Governor it was stated that he had reduced the 2016 fertilizer from 20,000 metric tonnes to 15,000 metric tonnes that is from 400,000 to 300,000 bags and the memo presented a 2,197,840,800,00 for 314,514 bags which he didn’t cross-check the detail before his approval.
Chairman alleged that one Mallam Sule Ningi collected over one billion naira payment cash contrary to money laundering act which put the limit of the money that an individual will collect is five million naira, and suspected that the aim of the act is to pocket the balances of any inflated balance.
When contacted top officials of the Ministry of Agriculture during former Governor Abubakar said, “they don’t want to comment on such issues because all documents are now at their disposal, they served state to the best of their ability with honest and dedication, and they followed laid down rules when they are in office, and the group are bent on challenging anybody that held a position in Government, they attacked former Governor Ahmadu Mu’azu, Isa Yuguda, Mohammed Abubakar maybe tomorrow they will accuse Governor Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir”.
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