Group Raises Alarm Over Alleged Ekiti Secretariat Fencing Contract Fraud
A rights advocacy group, Integrity Leadership Organisation, has raised the alarm over alleged plot by Governor Ayodele Fayose to defraud Ekiti State through alleged fraud in the State Secretariat fencing contract.
A statement by its Ekiti State Coordinator, Lekan Oyediran, alleged that Fayose has perfected plans in cahoots with some top civil servants in the Ministry of Works to award a multi-million naira contract for the fencing of the state secretariat and then later abandon the job.
The group said investigation of what started like a rumour had confirmed that Fayose indeed planned to exploit the contract to allegedly defraud the state.
“Our investigation of what started as a rumour has confirmed that Governor Fayose actually wants to use the fencing of the secretariat to defraud the state.
“In our investigation, we discovered that Fayose has gathered all the unused building materials at the uncompleted Civic Centre initiated by Governor Kayode Fayemi and left-over materials in the fly-over project to be presented as freshly purchased materials for the fencing project.
“In our investigation, Fayose is working with his cronies in the civil service led by one Famuyiwa, a Director of Buildings in the Ministry of Works to perfect this fraudulent act.
“As we speak, the bill of quantity prepared by Famuyiwa is ready for the governor’s approval after which the unused building materials will be moved to the secretariat to be presented as newly purchased materials.
“The plan includes non-mobilisation of contractors to the site or if a contractor will commence working there at all, he will work for a few days and then abandon the project,” the statement explained.
The group also frowned at the governor approving 2018 promotions for workers without promotion interviews against civil service rule, warning that Fayose’s alleged plan to create wage payment crisis for Fayemi is not only “irresponsible leadership conduct, but also a disservice to Ekiti people who will face the consequences of unpaid salaries”.
The group urged Fayemi to note and address all the irregularities “fuelled by fraudulent intentions” by Fayose to create crisis for the new administration.
It also said that, though it is a civil rights organisation, it will not defend civic servants who are beneficiaries of alleged frauds to create crisis for the new administration.
