Contract for Water Supply and Distribution Network was awarded to a company in the sum of ₦81,621,697.00 (Eighty one million, six hundred and twenty one thousand, six hundred and ninety-seven naira) – inclusive of 5 % VAT and 5% WHT vide award letter dated 1st November, 2010, Ref No: FUPRE/REG/CONTRACTS/VOL.2/149 with a completion period of 6 Months.
The Governing Council terminated the contract on the ground of non-performance, after the job had reached 90% completion and a sum of ₦78,828,609.56 had been paid to the contractor.
It was further noted from the minutes of the 2nd Emergency meeting of the Tenders Board, held on Friday 15th May, 2015, that the abandoned contract was to be completed through direct labour at a sum of ₦45,011,641.82 where the sum of ₦40,400,000.00 had already been paid vide voucher number 002, dated 18/5/15 and mandate number: GTB/IGR/MAY/001 for the Direct Labour. It was noted that the same contract was awarded to another contractor through award letters reference numbers FUPRE/CONT./2015/VOL.89 dated 29/9/2015 and FUPRE/REG/COUNCIL/CONTRACTS/84 dated 18/8/2016 at a sum of ₦29,902,307.50 and ₦5,061,284.00 respectively. Hence the contract originally awarded at the cost ₦81,621,697.00 was craftily varied upward and the total of ₦154,192,201.93 was expended thus resulting in overpayment of ₦72,570,504.93.