The Lagos state Public Procurement Agency has made a U-turn by removing some contracts awarded under the former Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola, published on its website, www.lagosppa.gov.ng, following the controversies it had generated.
current Lagos state governor, Akinwumi Ambode and immediate past governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola
Public Procurement Agency stated that Fashola’s administration spent N78.3m on his personal website,www.tundefashola.com, spent N139m on the drilling of two boreholes at the Lagos House, Ikeja.
It would be recalled that an analytic firm, BudgIT, disclosed that before Fashola left office, he approved a contract of N78.3 million from the state treasury for an upgrade of his personal website.
According to checks by Punch newspaper, the section which lists all the contracts awarded under Fashola’s administration between 2013 and 2014 could no longer be accessed.
Contract listed includes a N640million construction of car parks at the Lagos House, Marina. The contract for the construction of the car parks was awarded to Messrs Julius Berger Plc. Yet, another is a N300million contract on the relocation of Power Holding Company of Nigeria cables at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, and awarded to Deux Projects Limited.
N175million was listed for replacement of railings on pedestrian part of the Carter Bridge from Ido to Idumota. The contract was awarded to A Abicon Engineering Limited.
N220million was spent on the facility management of the Lagos State University College of Medicine; contract also awarded to Deux Projects Limited.
The surface repair on Ajara-Erekiti-Iragon-Ikoga Road in Badagry local government was awarded for N619million.
Meanwhile, reacting to the development, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders said secrecy was one of the trademarks of the state government.
CACOL’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran said; “The development gives credence to the belief that the state government’s activities are shrouded in secrecy. They believe that the government is a cult and only the initiates should have information.
“It is for this reason that the Freedom of Information Act has been frustrated by state governments, especially Lagos. Such websites are only accessible when the state government’s have some interests to serve.”
The state government recently reversed the alleged allocation of over 25 plots of land by Fashola to his relatives, friends and associates in high-brow Lekki.
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