MAKURDI – Benue State Government has dragged Dr. Doyin Okupe,
Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan, on Public Affairs, before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for the recovery of over N635.7 million owed the state government for a contract not executed.

Benue State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr. Benjamin
Ashaver, told journalists in Makurdi, yesterday, that necessary petitions had been sent to the anti-graft agency. He said the move became necessary to help the state recover the funds. It will be recalled that Governor Gabriel Suswam, weekend, had hinted that he was not properly briefed on the matter by his predecessor, former Governor George Akume, hence his inability to dabble into the issue. He said this left him in the dark as to what actually transpired at the time.

However, the Commissioner for Works and Transport, yesterday,
insisted that the current administration was now bent on recovering
the balance of N635.7 million from the failed contract. Contract
Ashaver explained that Akume awarded the contract to Okupe’s
company, Value Trust Investment Limited for the construction of
230-kilometer rural roads on April 21, 2004 at N2.3 billion.


He said: “The government at that time made a 30 percent advance
payment of N691 million to the contractor to commence work and
by July 17, 2006, the total amount paid to the contractor stood at
N886.8 million.” He said although the project was expected to be completed within 18 months from the date of award, the contractor failed to meet the target, adding that the amount of work done was later valued at N195.7 million before the contractor abandoned the site. Ashaver said: “Due to non-performance, the contractors have been reported to EFCC for the recovery of balance on the advance
payment of N635.7 million due to Benue State Government.”

However, the Commissioner for Works and Transport, yesterday,
insisted that the current administration was now bent on recovering
the balance of N635.7 million from the failed contract