THE ICIR investigations revealed how millions of naira released for the National Biosafety Management Agency’s capital projects were mismanaged via inflated project prices. Niyi OYEDEJI reports. Photographs and Video by Uthman SAMAD

THE National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) headed Dr. Rufus Egbegba has spent over N365 million on vehicles, computers, and equipment, all between 2016 and 2019, among other procurements. The ICIR’s investigation, however, revealed that the prices quoted for these items are inflated beyond the market price.

NBMA was established by the National Biosafety Management Act of 2015 and on April 15, 2015, Dr. Egbegba was appointed as the pioneer Director-General/Chief Executive Officer but the agency commenced full operation in 2016.

The agency is mandated to regulate modern biotechnology activities and the release into the environment, handling, and use of genetically modified organisms which are products of modern biotechnology to prevent adverse impact on the environment and human health.

In the last four years, the agency has executed not fewer down 30 capital projects, but all at inflated prices.

170 million spent on five vehicles

For instance, The ICIR’s check shows that the agency has spent over N170 million on only five operational vehicles between 2016 and 2019.

The breakdown of the spending shows that N40 million, exactly 40 percent of the money released to NBMA for capital projects in 2016 was spent on the procurement of operational vehicles. In the following year, another sum ofN48,890,100 was also awarded and paid for the same project.

However, in 2018, NBMA first awarded a sum of N10,815,787 for operational vehicles and another N41,479,500 for the same project.

In 2019, the agency awarded and paid a sum of 29,059,870 also for operational vehicles, which brought the total amount of money expended on vehicles between the years 2016 and 2019 to N170,245,207.

When Dr. Rufus Egbegba, DG of the agency was contacted by The ICIR for clarifications on the money spent on vehicles, he acknowledged the purchase of the five vehicles at N170.2 million and listed the vehicles as 32-seaters bus (One), 18-seaters bus (One), Saloon cars (Two), and SUV car (One).

The ICIR further asked him if he thinks those vehicles were not procured at an inflated price, and he responded: “That’s all the vehicles we have bought and if from your investigation you’ve realized we’ve spent 170,245 207 on the five vehicles, then that’s the amount we’ve spent,” Egbegba responded.

When The ICIR reached out to one of the two contractors that got the contract for the procurement of operational vehicles for the agency ― Circular Automobile Limited, who was awarded the sum of 40 million and 48.9 million in 2016 and 2017 respectively, their director who decided not to disclose his name to this reporter noted that it was true that his company got the contract to supply two vehicles to the agency between the year 2016 and 2017.

He stated further that he delivered two brand new vehicles ― one 18-seater Hiace bus and one Prado car to the agency.

READ MORE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/investigation-national-biosafety-management-agency-enmeshed-in-contract-inflation/

Hmmm

mmmm

Corruption have really been taken to a new dimension under Bubu.Meanwhile, even Coronavirus is caused by corruption according to the mugu called Magu.

Endemic corruption is now the order of the day in this regime.

Corruption has become a way of life in Nigeria. Nigeria is an interesting case in the discussion of corruption. Corruption is the single greatest obstacle preventing Nigeria from achieving its enormous potential.