Why Contractor Was Paid For Road Done By Pastor Adeboye

The Ministry of Works and Housing has explained why initial
payments were made to CARTIL Construction Company for the
reconstruction of Ife-Ifewara Road, Osun.

The road was later rehabilitated by Redeemed Christian Church of
God (RCCG) after it was abandoned by the contractor.

An official of the Church, Pastor Niyi Adebanjo, had in a
petition to the Senate alleged that the ministry in 2016 and 2019
paid N151million to the company as part payment for the road
reconstruction.

Adebanjo had submitted the petition on behalf of the General
Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and Senate President,
Ahmad Lawan, referred the document to the Senate Committee on
Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

The Church in the petition alleged that the construction firm
claimed the sum of N151 million as reimbursement for the
reconstruction of the road, which the church constructed.

“The rehabilitation of the road was awarded and paid for by
Pastor Enoch Adeboye in the sum of N188,440,342, hence the claim by
CARTIl Construction Nigeria Limited was illegal and unjust, ” he
said.

But the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola who
appeared before Senate Committee of Ethics, Privileges and Public
Petitions said the contractor CARTIL did not claim any money
between 2016 and 2019 contrary to the claim in the petition.

He said payments were made in 2011, based on the guarantee
submitted and the interim statement generated by the company.

” The ministry of works also did not make any payments to CARTIL
construction between 2016 and 2019 and we did not certify any work
on that road done by CARTIL between the period,” he said.

“These payments were all made four years before the Buhari’s
administration,” he explained.

He stated that the ministry did not make any payment to the
contractor as a refund or certify any work done between 2016 and
2019.

Fashola said that the road was not a federal road but a 15
kilometers trunk B road in Osun.

He said the road was one of the constituency projects initiated
by a then-senator representing the zone in 2010.

He said the contract was awarded on Dec 21, 2010 at a cost of
N662 million with an order to commence work on March 7, 2011 and to
be complete on Nov 7, 2011.

He said the ministry paid 15 per cent mobilisation fee of the
contract sum of N99.414 million in line with the procurement act in
2011.

He said the ministry also made another payment of N52 million in
Dec 29, 2011 based on an interim statement submitted by the
contractor, having mobilised to the site.

Fashola said the two payments were made in 2011, contrary to the
claim that they were made in 2016 and 2019.

“This administration did not make this payment,I did not make
this payment contrarily to the allegations made by the petitioner,”
he said.

He said the ministry became unsatisfied with the contractor and
issued a warning letter to him in 2014 and 2015 to terminate the
contract.

“The payments made to the contractor were made in 2011 in
accordance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act on
mobilisation fee not exceeding 15 per cent of the contract sum,” he
said.

Responding on behalf of RCCG, the Petitioner, Pastor Niyi
Adebanjo apologised to the minister saying that the petition was
not targeted at him, but was meant to expose some perceived sharp
practices.

Adebanjo said that they thought that the Federal Government was
to approve another payment for the road which was rehabilitated
free by Pastor Encoh Adeboye as part of the church’s Social
Corporate Responsibility.

“The rehabilitation of the road was awarded and paid for by
Pastor Enoch Adeboye, hence any further claim by any company should
be seen as illegal and unjust.”

“Ministry of Works and Housing deserves an apology from us and
because the whole world is listening to us, I tender that apology
“Unreservedly,” he said.

Speaking, the Committee Chairman, Sen. Patrick Akinyelure,
commended the minister for his presentation and for correcting the
impression that some monies were paid during the Buhari-led
administration.

He said that the purpose of the public hearing was to clear all
grey areas regarding payments that were alleged to be paid by the
ministry and not to witch-hunt anybody.

He commended the RCCG for the intervention and for crying out
for the perceived wrongdoing but charged them to follow due
procedure and guidelines in future intervention to avoid a repeat
of such occurrence.

The Ministry of Works and Housing has explained why initial
payments were made to CARTIL Construction Company for the
reconstruction of Ife-Ifewara Road, Osun.

The road was later rehabilitated by Redeemed Christian Church of
God (RCCG) after it was abandoned by the contractor.

An official of the Church, Pastor Niyi Adebanjo, had in a
petition to the Senate alleged that the ministry in 2016 and 2019
paid N151million to the company as part payment for the road
reconstruction.

Adebanjo had submitted the petition on behalf of the General
Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and Senate President,
Ahmad Lawan, referred the document to the Senate Committee on
Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

The Church in the petition alleged that the construction firm
claimed the sum of N151 million as reimbursement for the
reconstruction of the road, which the church constructed.

“The rehabilitation of the road was awarded and paid for by
Pastor Enoch Adeboye in the sum of N188,440,342, hence the claim by
CARTIl Construction Nigeria Limited was illegal and unjust, ” he
said.

But the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola who
appeared before Senate Committee of Ethics, Privileges and Public
Petitions said the contractor CARTIL did not claim any money
between 2016 and 2019 contrary to the claim in the petition.

He said payments were made in 2011, based on the guarantee
submitted and the interim statement generated by the company.

” The ministry of works also did not make any payments to CARTIL
construction between 2016 and 2019 and we did not certify any work
on that road done by CARTIL between the period,” he said.

“These payments were all made four years before the Buhari’s
administration,” he explained.

He stated that the ministry did not make any payment to the
contractor as a refund or certify any work done between 2016 and
2019.

Fashola said that the road was not a federal road but a 15
kilometers trunk B road in Osun.

He said the road was one of the constituency projects initiated
by a then-senator representing the zone in 2010.

He said the contract was awarded on Dec 21, 2010 at a cost of
N662 million with an order to commence work on March 7, 2011 and to
be complete on Nov 7, 2011.

He said the ministry paid 15 per cent mobilisation fee of the
contract sum of N99.414 million in line with the procurement act in
2011.

He said the ministry also made another payment of N52 million in
Dec 29, 2011 based on an interim statement submitted by the
contractor, having mobilised to the site.

Fashola said the two payments were made in 2011, contrary to the
claim that they were made in 2016 and 2019.

“This administration did not make this payment,I did not make
this payment contrarily to the allegations made by the petitioner,”
he said.

He said the ministry became unsatisfied with the contractor and
issued a warning letter to him in 2014 and 2015 to terminate the
contract.

“The payments made to the contractor were made in 2011 in
accordance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act on
mobilisation fee not exceeding 15 per cent of the contract sum,” he
said.

Responding on behalf of RCCG, the Petitioner, Pastor Niyi
Adebanjo apologised to the minister saying that the petition was
not targeted at him, but was meant to expose some perceived sharp
practices.

Adebanjo said that they thought that the Federal Government was
to approve another payment for the road which was rehabilitated
free by Pastor Encoh Adeboye as part of the church’s Social
Corporate Responsibility.

“The rehabilitation of the road was awarded and paid for by
Pastor Enoch Adeboye, hence any further claim by any company should
be seen as illegal and unjust.”

“Ministry of Works and Housing deserves an apology from us and
because the whole world is listening to us, I tender that apology
“Unreservedly,” he said.

Speaking, the Committee Chairman, Sen. Patrick Akinyelure,
commended the minister for his presentation and for correcting the
impression that some monies were paid during the Buhari-led
administration.

He said that the purpose of the public hearing was to clear all
grey areas regarding payments that were alleged to be paid by the
ministry and not to witch-hunt anybody.

He commended the RCCG for the intervention and for crying out
for the perceived wrongdoing but charged them to follow due
procedure and guidelines in future intervention to avoid a repeat
of such occurrence.