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COVID-19 palliative: Protest rocks FCTA as Minister, Bello fails to pay contractors
Contractors who supplied food items and condiment for palliative at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic may be heading for a show down with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over non-payment for their respective contract supplies, made to the FCTA for palliative distribution in the federal Capital Territory by the Administration, four months after.
Some of the contractors demanding payment by the Minister of FCT, Muhammad Bello had clashed with security personnel at the Federal Capital Territory on Friday as they sought to meet with the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory, Christian Ohaa.
The fisticuffs followed the insistence of the contractors to seek audience with the Permanent Secretary for the payment of the supplies they have made to the tune of N3.8 billion under “emergency procurement” for which payment were supposed to have been made three weeks after the supply in April and May.
However, four months on, the Muhammad Bello led Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has not met its “obligation to us” one of the contractor who sought anonymity said.
The clash on Friday took a different dimension as the entire security architecture of the Federal capital territory responding to “disturbance”, sending the contractors away from the premises of the FCTA, following their insistence to see the Permanent Secretary ahead of the Sallah break for their payments.
“It is our job to secure this premises and maintain law and order, we only arrested the disturbance they created around the offices with due respect to their persons. Did they tell you any one was hurt?” A security furiously told journalists.
Reacting to the development, Acting secretary, Social Development Secretariat (SDS) of the Federal Capital Territory, Dillichukwu Onyedima said she has nothing to say over the grumblings by contractors that supplied the administration food supplies during the Covid 19 lockdown.
Dilichukwuu in a phone interview with journalists stressed: “I have nothing to say on their grievances, I have no thoughts on their matter.”
Meanwhile, it was learnt that 48 contractors supplied 600,000 (six hundred thousand) of 50kg bags of rice to the FCTA for her intervention to some 700,000 home-beneficiaries from the palliative pack. Some contractors supplied 10kg bags of rice too to meet specification.
Asked about the deal and their role on the financing of the palliative, the office of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and disaster management said it has no business with such transactions as it was entirely the responsibility of the FCTA where it had such contractual agreement for food supply
Special adviser on Media, Madam Halima Oyelade explained that: “We have no business with any supply of palliative with contractors at the FCT nor did we get any cash donation to make payment for palliative, there is no such thing.”
A source within the federal capital territory said: “Yes, contracts have actually been awarded and payment yet made. However, I can assure you and by extension the contractors, that due diligence on their supplies have been done, covering, store verification to audit.
“All the things that are needed to be done to make payment process complete has been done; all that is left now is to go for payment.
“We are aware that some of the suppliers were dragged to the EFFCC for alleged fraud but the EFCC wrote the administration as part of their investigation and the administration replied, on the strength of which the contractors were released.
“Like I said they will be paid soon”, the source told Nigerian Tribune.
One of the contractors investigated by the EFCC said his supplier, had thought he was duped of his goods, fearing that he would lose his money running into hundreds of million, that is a lot of money to the business, so, he sought the intervention of the anti-graft agency.
However, the Anti-graft agency released him on knowing that he was not a fraudulent person but that the delay in payment was due to the delay in the processes of the FCT for payment.
“This job was done under emergency procurement which requires that supplies can be made and all processes for due diligence are done for payment within three weeks.
“We made my supply in April and May, we were told payment would be made within two weeks of supply while supply of the goods bided for would be made in one week,” another contractors who would not want to be mentioned on paper, for fear of being victimized said.
Senator representing Kogi East Senatorial District, Jibrin Isah Echocho, has congratulated Muslim faithful for the successful completion of this year Ramadan fast, urging them to celebrate the Sallah in love, and unity across our communities.
Echocho in a statement madeavailable to CAPITALPOST in Lokoja o Sunday, described the Ramadan period as stressful, but deserving, because it is the only period for spiritual reflection on abstinence from immorality, sincere sacrifice and supplications to Allah.
He added that, Ramadan symbolises Allah’s way of teaching humanity on virtuous living, where people keep away from all forms of comfort to appreciate what the less privileged experience and deprivation they suffers daily.
He task Muslims to extend the lessons of Ramadan to the way we live with our neighbours.
“Let’s seek peace at all times and promote unity of purpose in our society” the Lawmaker demanded.
“May the celebration brings sustainable peace to our homes, my district, Kogi State and Nigeria, he concluded.
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio has commended Senator Basheer Lado, for redefining the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, stating that, for the first time in a long while, the office is fully meeting its expectations.
Speaking during his visit to the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters accompanied by distinguished senators, Akpabio described the visit as a significant step in strengthening Executive-Legislative relations.
He praised the Special Adviser and his team for maintaining the confidentiality of communications between the President and Senate, and also, ensuring a seamless flow of information. He further emphasized that the office is now more result-oriented.
Additionally, he acknowledged the office’s diligent efforts in tracking all Bills passed by the Senate and assented to by the President, underscoring its critical role in legislative efficiency.
Expressing his satisfaction, Akpabio noted that he and the Senate delegation were proud of the office’s achievements and looked forward to sustaining the existing cordial and productive relationship between the Executive and the Legislature throughout the administration.
In recognition of his exemplary leadership, Senator Lado presented an Award of Excellence to Senator Akpabio.
In his remarks, Senator Lado reaffirmed his commitment to fostering a harmonious working relationship between the Executive and the Legislature. He lauded Akpabio for his unwavering dedication to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda—defending it with clarity, articulating it with passion, and advancing it through legislative action.
Ahead of the 2025 political party Congresses, Plateau State Chapter of the Labour Party (LP) stakeholders has endorsed the defection of the candidate of the party in the 2023 general elections and the leader of Justice and Rebirth, Barr Gyang Zi SAN, to the All Progressive Congress (APC) with the view to key into the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
They made the call in a communique issued at the end of the enlarge meeting of the stakeholders from Plateau North senatorial zone at the residence of Barr. Gyang Zi in Rayfield Jos.
The communique which was jointly signed by Dr. Ayiki Sati Director General, Justice and Rebirth and
Barr. Samuel Galadima- 2024 Chairmanship candidate of Jos East LGA among others said the call became imperative on the sideline of the leadership tussle at the National Level which violates the core principles and values for the formation of the Party as an alternative for Nigeria for the protection, sustenance of democracy and Social Justice.
They regretted that the leadership tussle has also divided the party into factions leaving party loyalists and supporters in the state of despondency and confusion not knowing where they belong.
Our correspondent reports that the gathering included LP candidates from the 2023/2024 general elections, party executives, and support groups from the six local government areas of the Northern Senatorial District.
Besides, the focus of the discussions was centered on the state of the Labour Party at both national and state levels and the need for political realignment ahead of the 2025 party congresses and conventions.
The stakeholders further frowned at the structural weaknesses in LP and resolved to advise Barr Gyang Zi, to leave the party and join the APC while expressing confidence that the APC would provide him with a platform to advance good governance in the state .
The communique also emphasized the importance of political consultations, particularly with APC leaders at both state and national levels. It called for collaboration with Plateau State APC leaders, including Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, Sen. Simon Bako Lalong, Sen. Diket Plang, and other party officials.
According to the communique, supporters of Barr Gyang Zi also pledged to mobilize grassroots support for the APC, stating that their leader’s defection would strengthen the party in the state.
They urged the APC leadership to formally receive Gyang Zi and his supporters into the party, marking their official transition from the Labour Party.
Stakeholders also reiterated the need for inclusive governance, ensuring that youths, women, and less privileged individuals are sidelined in the democratic process and accordingly officially denounced their membership in the Labour Party, declaring their support for the APC.
They assured that all LP structures aligned with Gyang Zi would follow suit, shifting their loyalty to the ruling party in the state and at the National level.
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