Works ministry allocates N100m to road rehabilitated by RCCG
The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has set aside N100m in the 2021 budget for the rehabilitation of the Ife-Ifewara Road which had been fixed by the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye.
The road was rehabilitated free by Adeboye as part of the church’s Social Corporate Responsibility at the cost of N188,440,342.00.
As a result of this, the Senate is currently probing the Ministry of Works and Housing for paying N145m to a construction firm, Cartil Construction Nigeria Limited, as a reimbursement for the road.
The matter is currently being handled by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, following a petition written to the panel by the church.
However, our correspondent, who obtained a copy of the Ministry of Works and Housing’s 2021 budget, observed that the ministry allocated yet another N100m as payment to the contractors for the rehabilitation of the Ife-Ifewara Road.
Details of the allocation are: Account code – 23030113; rehabilitation/repair of roads; fund code – 03101; fund name – Capital Development Fund; programme code – ERGP12153874; Rehabilitation of Ife-Ifewara Road in Osun State, C/No 6105 N100m.
When contacted, the chairman of the Senate panel handling the case, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, said the officials of the RCCG, those of the Ministry of Works and Housing, and management of the construction firm had been asked to appear before the committee on Thursday, April 15.
A senior official of the RCCG, Pastor Niyi Adebanjo, had in a petition submitted to the Senate alleged that the Ministry of Works and Housing officials paid N151m to the management of Cartil Construction Nigeria Limited as part payment for the road project awarded to it but abandoned.
Adebanjo submitted the petition on behalf of Adeboye while the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, referred the document to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
The petition was laid by the Chairman of the Committee on behalf of Lawan, on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.
The RCCG, in the petition, alleged that the construction firm claimed the sum of N151,508,901.22 as reimbursement for the rehabilitation of the Ife-Ifewara Road in Osun State which the church constructed.
Part of the petition read, “The rehabilitation of the road was awarded and paid for by Pastor Enoch Adeboye in the sum of N188,440,342.00, hence the claim by Cartil Construction Nigeria Limited was illegal and unjust.
“The church hereby requests the Senate to look into the matter and, among others, urge the firm to refund the money it collected to the coffers of the Federal Government.”
Speaking before the panel under oath, Adebanjo said, “Pastor EA Adeboye employed the services of the construction department of the RCCG to execute the project between August 26, 2016 and 2019 and the total cost was over N188m.
“The project started from Eruwa junction in Ife and Garage Olode in Ifewara, which is 8.2km. We have the details of all the seven companies that supplied us with the materials used to execute the project.
“They delivered all the materials on site. We have supplied details of the projects to the committee. While the project was ongoing, authorities of the Nigerian Correctional Service pleaded with Pastor Adeboye to extend the construction to their premises which was done.
“There are people at Ife and Ifewara who can testify to the fact that Pastor Adeboye constructed the road because he visited the palace where the Oba appreciated him for constructing the road.
“We were, therefore, shocked when we found out that somebody is trying to defraud the Nigerian state by claiming money for a project he never executed.”
An official at Cartil Construction Nigeria Limited, Olalekan Jimoh, was put on oath to address the panel on behalf of the managing director, who Jimoh claimed could not speak the English language. Punch
