A newly constructed public toilet, reportedly costing over N8 million, vanished overnight from the Ago Aduloju market. The facility, which was part of an “Upgrading of Ago-Aduloju Wet Market” project, was unveiled with much fanfare only to disappear just a day later, leaving behind a trail of controversy and unanswered questions.
(The remnants of the vandalized project seem like no structure ever existed there)
According to the Ekiti State Public Procurement Law E.K.S No. 2 of 2010, PART IV section (6), all bidders for public projects must possess the necessary professional and technical qualifications, financial capability, equipment, and qualified personnel to carry out the procurement.
However, it appears that these stringent requirements may have been overlooked in the case of this multimillion-dollar toilet project executed under the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
The project, executed by AFOJ Multibiz Global Concept Company, was intended to enhance the sanitation facilities at the Ago Aduloju market. According to the contract notice board, the project was supervised by the Ekiti State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and coordinated by the Ekiti Fadama Coordinating Unit. The total contract sum was N8,700,000, slated for the 2023/24 project year.
However, in a bizarre twist, the newly constructed toilet was reportedly carted away by vandals just a day after its commissioning. Local resident Yakubu Jimoh John expressed his disbelief at the rapid disappearance of the facility. “It’s like magic. One day we had a new toilet, the next day it was gone without a trace,” he remarked
Upon closer inspection, SecretsReporters discovered that the construction of the toilet was shoddy and poorly executed, raising suspicions about the actual expenditure and the quality of the work done. The project was said to include a solar-powered borehole, as stated by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, to justify the hefty price tag. However, the reality on the ground seemed to contradict these claims. It was also discovered that before the structure was vandalized, it was barely empty and had no modern facility installed for use.
Further investigations revealed that the contractor, AFOJ Multibiz Global Concept Company, registered on November 3, 2021, might not have had the requisite experience or capacity to handle such a project. Despite being actively registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the company’s competence and the possibility of fund diversion remain contentious issues.
The circumstances surrounding the project have led many to speculate about potential financial mismanagement. The Ekiti State Public Procurement Law is clear about the qualifications and capabilities required for contractors, yet AFOJ Multibiz Global Concept Company’s handling of the project casts doubt on the transparency and accountability of the procurement process.
Efforts to reach Commissioner Ebenezer Boluwade for comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report
The local community is outraged and confused by the incident. Many residents, including traders at the Ago Aduloju market, are demanding answers and accountability from the state government. “This is our money, our taxes. We deserve to know what happened,” said one irate trader.
READ ALSO: How a Civil Servant in Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance, Saliu Adebayo Exploits Loopholes to Secure Federal Contracts
Source: Secrets Reporters
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