The Edo Assets Verification Committee has revealed significant irregularities in contract awards, including an alarming N200 billion road contract debt incurred by the previous administration led by Godwin Obaseki.
During a press briefing in Benin City on Thursday, the committee chairman, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, highlighted various concerns, such as instances where contractors returned mobilization fees to government officials without proper documentation.
He also criticized the poor supervision of projects by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
Umakhihe urged the current administration to capitalize on the dry season for road construction, particularly focusing on projects hastily approved during the September 2024 election period.
“As the committee closes for the year, we felt the need to brief the public on key discoveries,” he stated.
“There are huge outstanding commitments in respect of road infrastructure. No matter how indecent some of our findings are, the government has to explore the dry season to make an appreciable intervention in road construction,” he added.
He further disclosed significant breaches of the Edo State Public Procurement Law, including questionable contract variations that often exceeded initial sums.
“In some cases, the variations were higher than the initial contract sum,” he remarked.
One major concern was the Radisson Hotel project, where the state’s equity dwindled to 20% despite an N17.5 billion investment and a prior N2 billion payment for land acquisition.
“The state government must reclaim its primary position as the core investor in the Radisson Hotel,” Dr. Umakhihe emphasized.
The committee also uncovered opaque practices within the Edo State Oil Palm Project Office, involving substantial expenditures routed through consultants.
Additionally, the Museum of West African Arts was found to be an independent trust on government land, with Edo State contributing N3.8 billion but holding no equity stake.
ICT projects were flagged for irregularities, including a N5 billion cybersecurity software commitment, of which N1.7 billion had already been spent.
Umakhihe promised a comprehensive report by 2025, detailing findings in sectors like education, health, and agriculture.
“We are committed to ensuring that the new government has accurate data to make informed decisions,” he concluded.
