N14bn fraud uncovered at Agric ministry

Bankole Makinde, Abuja - 13.03.2008

MINISTER of Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr. Sayyadi Abba Ruma, on Wednesday disclosed that a fraud of more than N14 billion had been unearthed in the ministry.

According to the minister, the fraud was perpetrated through the collusion of workers of the ministry with contractors that ought to have constructed feeder roads across the country.

Giving the breakdown, Dr. Ruma said N6 billion was stolen in 2006 and N8 billion in 2007 through the non-execution of contracts awarded the affected contractors whose names, according to him, had been compiled for appropriate action.

The minister spoke in Abuja at the the National Food Release from the Strategic Food Reserve Stock to cushion the effect of high prices of food commodities on the public.

Dr. Ruma said he was embarrassed to discover that the contracts were never advertised and, therefore, there were no tenders for them not to talk of being quoted for.

Additionally, the minister said the contracts, which were for roads construction, never had any engineering design and no transparent institutionalised framework while the procurement system for materials was faulty.

The scandalous aspect of the charade, according to the minister, was that the cabal involved in the award of the contracts paid all contractors involved their money upfront.

Dr. Ruma, who expressed surprise at the way contractors involved in the shady deals had been tarnishing his image in the papers for not allowing “the party” to go on as usual, said he never cancelled any contract as being alleged, but only insisted on due process.

He threatened that should he move against the personalities and institutions involved, most of them would go to jail.