Golley was heard in the leaked audio tape appealing for calm that the contractor should not be dragged to EFCC.
A leaked audio tape has exposed the Delta State Commissioner for Works who is in charge of rural roads, Solomon Golley, accusing officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), of collecting bribes.
The 7minutes 20 seconds audio recording obtained by SaharaReporters revealed how the commissioner pacified some concerned indigenes of Ikpide-Irri riverine community, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State in a meeting held last year in his office.
The meeting was over the shoddy job being carried out by a marine services firm, Portplus limited, on the community's controversial N1.5billion road project.
Golley, who was probably protecting his interest and that of the contractor, was heard in the leaked audio tape appealing for calm that the contractor should not be dragged to EFCC, because once the matter was taken to EFCC, officials of the commission would begin to extort money from them.
The Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, had awarded the controversial Ikpide-Irri riverine community road project to his crony, Portplus Limited, a firm owned by one Immanuel Emoefe Omojefe, an indigene of the community, at an initial cost of N736.4million but was later reviewed upward to the tune of N1.5billion.
Despite series of protests by concerned indigenes of the community over the poor execution of the project with substandard materials, Okowa had continued to turn deaf ears while continuous payments were made to the contractor.
An elder brother of the contractor and former president general of the community, Michael Omojefe, had stated that the contract was a ‘kola’ given to his younger brother by the governor as a sign of appreciation for supporting Okowa in his 2015 governorship election.
Meanwhile, in the audio record, the commissioner was also heard pacifying one of the leaders and offering bribes to the leader which will be pulled out through the ministry as a way of compensation so that the leader could back out from the protest against the shoddy job by Portplus Limited.
The audio is reproduced below;
"There are ways we can solve this issue. It’s just that what I have discovered, the leaders are making hell of noise there and the noise ends right there in the community. If I am in the shoes of the contractor, I know the right thing to do to those who will be shouting I am a community leader, I am a youth leader who doesn't go out of the community. That's why I wanted to if not for the fact that you said I should not invite them, I wanted to invite them and lash them. If things are going wrong in a community, do you know why I like Delta North, you don't do substandard jobs there, the community will provide house for you, give you food but you must do the job to specifications but back home, Urhobo is even worse.
"I am from a community where one of the prominent leaders, former governor of the state, Ibori is from Oghara, though I don't want to mention names; we have had this your experience. We have had it one, two, three in Oghara there, top shots even one in Abuja now. You don't need to drag your people down my brother, no matter what because, fine, you are fighting for them, in short what I really hate in your community, I have observed, what I don't like, the elders who supposed to be standing firmly by you to call the contractor, our son come, you have done well by attracting this development, but the same time people you put on ground to do the job, they are not doing a very good job for us, that's how it supposed to be. But they are shying away from it.
"The truth must be said but I don't like a situation we start dragging ourselves, you go to EFCC, EFCC will know before you know, they will be thinking of how to collect money and nothing comes to you. Fine you have fought, God in heavens knows you have done your part, you have played your role. Now, I am here, if I fail as a commissioner, as a serving commissioner in the state, I know the truth, I am even pressing to ensure they do the right thing. What I am saying, my brother is that you are the frontrunner in this whole thing. I want to assure you the issue of thickness, I want to beg you; let's downplay it.
"I know the efforts you have made, your time, your finances, because if you do anything now, the governor hat has thought it wise to cite the project there, definitely you will be dragging his name to the mud…we have been friends as far as I am concerned, you know me, I have known you but I just want you to totally forget the issue of press, let's leave the issue of press out of it, let's see how on our own.
“I know you have spent so much, coming here, going there, the ministry will be responsible. Look at my face, we make friends just in a day, we cannot continue with this fight, take us down to EFCC at the end of the day, I know this EFCC even as council chairman."
Speaking on behalf of the Concerned Indigenes of Ikpide-Irri, Blessing Ese, a community leader, described the support and backing of the state commissioner for works, Solomon Golley for the contractor as aiding and abetting corruption and accused the commissioner of taking side with the contractor to shortchange the people of Ikpide-Irri.