BENIN CITY - The Ad hoc Committee set up by the Edo State House of Assembly to investigate how the State oil and Gas Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC) spent the money so far released to it since inception yesterday visited some of the projects claimed to have been executed by the Commission.
The verification tour which was led by the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, was disappointed at the level of the alleged colossal fraud that had taken place in the Commission since the past one year.
Describing the amount quoted for each of the projects as outrageous, Hon. Agbebaku said the committee would stop at nothing to bring those behind the alleged monumental fraud to book.
He said that even though the committee was not set up to witch-hunt anybody, those who had questions to answer would be made to appear before the panel.
At Iguelaba, the Committee was shocked at the whopping sum of N15,962,914.61 spent on the Construction of Ultra Modern Police Station said to have been furnished with provisional operational vehicle, furniture among others even when there was nothing much to write home about the project.
A block of six classrooms, VIP toilets and landscaping of Ikobi Community Primary School built at the cost of N19,980,625.00 without chairs and tables was also queried by the committee even as the water scheme built at the sum of N7,500,000.00 million was not left out in the query.
Also questioned was the purchased of five (500) KVA - Copper Coil Transformers for high density areas and five (300) KVA aluminium Coil Transformers at the cost of N26,350,000.00 just as the Committee frowned at the renovation/maintenance of the Commission’s office complex, perimeter fencing, construction of Gate House and added structure at the cost of N15,890,470.00 all in the corporate office of the Commission in Benin City.
The purchase of 18 official vehicles at the cost of N85,850,000.00 and the purchase of 150 KVA and 40 KVA Generating Sets, including their installations, building of Generator Houses as well as purchase of Cable and Automatic accessories at the cost of N15,280,500.00 was also a shocker to the panel.
The Panel equally decried the use of N2,910,000.00 for landscaping and construction of Car park at the Commission’s office complex in Benin City, even as it demanded to know why the sum of N18,850,000.00 was spent for Agency fee for office building purchase, valuation and legal documentation for the same office building.
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