N4.5tr contract: ‘Single Window firm belongs to former CG of Customs’

Startling revelations were made at the ongoing probe of the controversial award of N4.5 trillion cargo inspection contract to Single Window Systems and Technology Limited (SWST), a firm owned by a former Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Ahmed Mustafa.

It was also revealed at the probe that the firm with a mere N1000,000 share capital was only incorporated at the Corporate Affairs Commission on June 10, 2010, more than one year after it presented a proposal for the contract to the Presidency on November 10, 2009. Mr. Ahmed Bello, who identified himself as the son of the former CG, testifying before the House of Representatives Adhoc Committee said he owns 25 percent of the company while 60 percent belongs to his friend, Mohammed Kaoje, a Nigeria while the remaining 15 percent belongs to another lady who they claimed has a dual citizenship of Britain and Ethiopia.

Samuel Kwashi, chief operating officer of the company, who gave a vivid description of the transactions that led to the award of the contract on April 5, 2011, told the committee that SWST first submitted a proposal to the Presidency on November 10, 2009, which went to the Federal Executive Council on December 14, 2009.

According to him, a letter of intent was sent to the Federal Ministry of Finance on May 29, 2010 while a presentation on the proposed contract was made jointly to Finance Ministry, Federal Ministry of Transport and other relevant government agencies, even as a presentation was made to both ministries on September 14, 2010.

Meanwhile Mr. Chidi Izuwa, a director of Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission, who testified before the panel, disclosed that the transaction did not follow due process as provided by the ICRC Act, 2005. According to him, there are two major stages, which the transactions ought have gone, which comprise of the developmental stage during which those seeking the award of the contract liaise with the commission in order tofind out whether the proposal has been included in the infrastructural plan of the government.

This stage, according to him, would be followed by the conduct of a needs analyses to find out what other options are available, whether by Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, which would be followed by the selection of financing model.

He, however, regretted that the commission was not aware of the concession agreement, which is contrary to Section 11 of the ICRC Act, 2005, which provides that the commission must be aware and also monitor the execution of such contract.

The probe, which was postponed penultimate week because of the absence of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had taken a dramatic twist on Monday when the minister through a letter to the chairman of the committee, Mr. Leo Ogo announced the suspension of the probe. The letter reads in parts: “I want to apologise for my inability to appear before the committee on the last public hearing.

I will like to inform you that by the leave of the President, I have suspended the Single Window project entered into in defiance to the National Assembly. The President has accepted and asked me to look into the process that led to the award of the contract with a view to addressing the important issues raised by your committee, I will recourse to you in due course on the outcome of the inquiry”the minister noted.

But the chairman, who had asked members of the committee and stakeholders to discountenance the alleged suspension by the minister, had also insisted that the minister must appear before the panel or risk being arrested.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/business/maritime/20775.html

It was also revealed at the probe that the firm with a mere N1000,000 share capital was only incorporated at the Corporate Affairs Commission on June 10, 2010, more than one year after it presented a proposal for the contract to the Presidency on November 10, 2009.

Mr. Ahmed Bello, who identified himself as the son of the former CG, testifying before the House of Representatives Adhoc Committee said he owns 25 percent of the company while 60 percent belongs to his friend, Mohammed Kaoje, a Nigeria while the remaining 15 percent belongs to another lady who they claimed has a dual citizenship of Britain and Ethiopia.

See how they are sharing public money and taking care of their sons?

If you like keep praising corrupt politicians all over. Keep voting for them 

If your relative nor dey politics and you support and voted for an "unknown' looter in April, because "he be from my town" or She be christian/muslim" or "I like their jingle" or "He gat no shoe" You be glorious mumu