Ekiti denies contract fraud allegations
Ekiti State government has denied a story published by Sahara Reporters alleging irregularities in the award of land clearing and related contracts under the Youth in Agriculture Programme. A statement
Ekiti State government has denied a story published by Sahara Reporters alleging irregularities in the award of land clearing and related contracts under the Youth in Agriculture Programme.
A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Taiwo Olatunbosun urged the public to disregard the sensational claims in the publication.
The statement read in part: We categorically reject the claims of wrongdoing, contract splitting, or any breach of due process.Under the leadership of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, all procurement activities of the State are conducted in strict compliance with the Ekiti State Public Procurement Law and established financial regulations. The insinuation that contracts were awarded arbitrarily to unqualified entities is misleading and does not reflect the rigorous evaluation processes in place.
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''All contracts referenced in the report followed legally prescribed procurement procedures, including needs assessment, budgetary provision, and approvals by the appropriate authorities. Where applicable, competitive bidding processes were duly observed in line with the law.
''The mere recency of a company's registration does not disqualify it from participating in public procurement. What the law requires is demonstrable capacity, which includes technical partnerships, access to equipment, financial backing, and personnel. These criteria were duly assessed before any contract awards.
The statement added: ''The claim of “contract splitting' is unfounded. The projects cited were structured based on location-specific needs, timelines, and operational logistics. Distinct project sites and scopes necessitated separate contracts to ensure efficiency, timely delivery, and effective supervision. This approach is consistent with best practices in project implementation and does not violate procurement regulations.
''Government does not award contracts based on assumptions or speculative associations between company directors. Each registered entity is treated as a separate legal person under Nigerian law. All awarded companies met the requirements set out in the bidding documents and relevant laws.''
