According to him, all contracts are awarded to responsive bidders who meet up with all the technical and financial requirements.
Border Community Development Agency (BCDA) has denied it awarded and paid millions of Naira for projects which were not executed.
An investigation by a journalist, Elijah Akoji of WikiTimes said the agency awarded N56 million borehole projects for communities in Jigawa State which were never executed despite the release of funds.
The Border Community Development is an agency under the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Presidency), headed by Junaid Abdullahi, a son-in-law of President Muhammadu Buhari, who was appointed executive secretary on September 22, 2018, the same year the infractions were allegedly reported.
“Between 2018 and 2019, payment made by the Border Community Development Agency (BCDA) has shown that over N100 billion was paid to more than 30 companies without payment description, a procurement infraction that has made all projects within that period difficult to track, findings from Govspend.com have shown,” the report read.
“Payment descriptions explain the purpose of payment for a transaction carried out and clearly state the location where the payment is used and for what purpose the payment was made, it is usually not more than 280 characters. The contract for the construction of hand pump boreholes in Birnin-Kudu in Jigawa state worth over N59m by the BCDA in 2018 falls into the category of contracts that were deliberately made untraceable.
“Borehole Contract awarded to an Internet Café. In 2018, findings from Govspend.com, an open contracting website revealed how the BCDA awarded a contract for the construction of hand pump boreholes in Birnin-Kudu in Jigawa state worth over N59m to Wright Online Support Limited, a company that may not have had the competence and experience since it was registered as an internet company.
“Wright Online Support Limited, according to data obtained from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP), shows the company was registered as an internet cafe company on the 7th of March 2012. Its registered address is No. 42 Crescent 241 Road, Gwarimpa Abuja, but currently operates from Suite 2 Ground Floor, City Plaza, Ahmadu Bello Way Garki 11, Abuja. The Public Procurement Act, enacted in 2007, prescribes principles by which public procurement entities within the various Federal Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies should conduct their affairs, and it includes transparency, accountability and value for money.
“The Procurement Act stipulates that bids shall be invited only from qualified/approved contractors/suppliers competent to do the work or provide the services to the nominated standards. It also says that contracts shall be awarded to the lowest evaluated responsive bidder, and shall meet all technical requirements and standards on the basis of competitive tendering unless overriding technical grounds exist to justify any other course of action.
“Borrowed company used to receive government contract. Aliyu Rainbow Abdulmutallab, the Executive Director of Wright Online Support Limited, told Solacebase how the contract was awarded to his friend by the BCDA, who later came to borrow his company to execute the borehole project in Birnin-Kudu, Jigawa State, denying he did not execute the project.”
But reacting, R.A. Akpohwaye, Director, Public Affairs and Protocol of BCDA described the report as false and baseless.
According to him, all contracts are awarded to responsive bidders who meet up with all the technical and financial requirements and standards on the basis of competitive tendering.
He added that the Agency does not recognise nor consider individual personalities in discharging its statutory functions on the award of contracts.
The statement read, “The attention of the Border Communities Development Agency has been drawn to an online publication dated August 2nd, 2022 with the above caption. The Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) is a responsible and responsive Agency of government, saddled with the mandate to provide basic socio-economic and infrastructural amenities through the implementation of planned and sustainable projects in all the 21 States of the Border Communities in Nigeria.
“As a reputable Government Agency, ordinarily we would have ignored this publication because it lacks the characteristics of a good media report. However, unsuspecting Nigerians might be misled or deceived into believing the wild claims contained in the reportage, it is necessary to dignify this report with a reply and present fact as they are.
“From the inception of BCDA, the Agency has been responsive in carrying out its mandate and has always followed the procurement process mandated by law in the award of contracts to the most qualified bidders which allows for transparency, accountability and value for payments.
“In view of the above, all contracts are awareness to responsive bidders who meet up all the technical and financial requirements and standards on the basis of competitive tendering. The Agency does not recognize nor consider individual personalities in discharging its statutory functions on the award of contracts.
“The reporter seems to have gotten the award and execution of this project muddled up. His intention may have been to malign the BCDA, misinform the public and discredit the excellent work and efforts of BCDA in bringing development to the neglected citizens of Nigeria living in Border Communities.
“For the records, the procurement process for 2018 began with an invitation to Tender which was published in the Federal Tender Journal on Monday, October 1st - Sunday, October 14th, 2018 and bidders were invited to a transparent process of bid opening. Subsequently, the awarded letter was given in respect of this project (Lots A80) to Wright Online Support Ltd for the execution of the said boreholes at a contract sum of #70,094,850 (Seventy Million, Four Thousand and Fifty Naira) only. The Contractor constructed eleven (11) boreholes with the installation of overhead tanks and stanchions at various locations within Birnin Kudu and Buji Local Government of Jigawa State. Please find below the beneficiary communities: Birnin Kudu LGA,1. Unguwar Odoji, 2. Kadangare, 3. Budunga; 4. Safa; 5. Budugu; 6. Layin Alhazat; 7. Yabaza.
“Buji LGA, 1. Ahoto Alewa; 2. Chakumama; 3. Yayari Achakauri; 4. Gantsa.
“All these solar-powered boreholes were not only constructed to specification but were duly handed over to the Communities for use. One of the community leaders, Sadiq Makudi confirmed that the boreholes are still functional as at today. The Chairman of Birnin Kudu Development Association, Adamu Muazu also attested to the completion of these projects and their usage.”