Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Research and Documentation Mr. Emmanuel Nicholas, has detailed how Godswill Akpabio’s administration allegedly embezzled Uyo-Ikot Ekpene dualization contract funds to the tune of N40 billion.
Reports Nigeria reports that there have been accusations and counter accusations between Akwa Ibom State chapter of All Progressives Congress party, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on why the road project awarded by the Akpabio’s administration has not been completed, with the APC accusing Udom Emmanuel of playing ethnic card with State projects.
According to the contract papers released on Tuesday, December 18, and made available to Reports Nigeria by Mr Nicholas, the 25 kilometres Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road dualization was first awarded on December 19, 2011, by then Governor, now Senator representing Akwa Ibom Northwest District, Senator Akpabio, at a sum of Twenty eight billion, three hundred and ninety four million, five hundred and seventy five thousand eight hundred and three naira twenty two kobo, N28,394,575,803,22k, to Julius Berger.
Julius Berger agreed to complete the project within 24 months, and 40 percent which is eleven billion, three hundred and fifty seven million, eight hundred and thirty thousand, three hundred and twenty one naira, twenty nine kobo, N11, 357,830,321.29k, of the initial fee(N28, 394, 575, 803,22k) was paid for mobilization by the Akpabio’s administration.
On December 12, 2013, additional twenty three billion, five hundred and sixteen million, two hundred and twenty eight thousand, three hundred and ninety four Naira, N23,516,228,394.00, was added to the initial contract sum of N28,394,575,803,22k, taking the total cost to fifty one billion, nine hundred and ten million, eight hundred and four thousand, one hundred and ninety seven naira twenty two kobo, N51,910,804,197.22.
Mr Nicholas noted that the reason for the increment was not stated in the contract paper, however, the funds were fully disbursed from the State government accounts.
Furthermore, the contract was reviewed upward for the second time on July 25, 2014, by Akpabio’s administration with nineteen billion, four hundred and forty eight million, three hundred and seventy three thousand two hundred and seventeen naira sixty three Kobo, N19,448,373,217.63k. Additional work to be done were described as: (i) Section from Ch. 23+000 to city centre incl. Roundabout, and (ii) flyover.
This took the total cost of the contract to seventy one billion, three hundred and fifty nine million, one hundred and seventy seven thousand, four hundred and fourteen naira eighty nine kobo, N71, 359, 177, 414.89.
According to the contract papers, the completion period for the contract was ten(10 months) and ten billion naira, N10,000,000,000, was disbursed as mobilization fee.
We could not independently verify whether all the contract funds were disbursed by the Akpabio administration as attempts to reach the Commissioner of Finance were unsuccessful.
