Release The Names Of Contractors Who Disappeared With N167bn, Group Tells Tinubu

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Bola Tinubu to to order the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun and the Accountant General of the Federation Oluwatoyin Made in to publish the names of the firms and contractors “who collected over N167 billion from 31 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) but failed to execute any projects”.

The funds were reportedly disbursed but no projects were executed, according to the 2021 audited report by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation.

In an open letter to the President, SERAP demanded “the details of the projects for which the contractors collected N167 billion, and the proposed locations, as well as the number of contractors involved and the amount collected by each contractor”.

The group added: “The details to be published should include the names of shareholders and others that might have any ownership interests in the companies that collected over N167 billion from 31 MDAs but disappeared with the money without executing any projects.” It asked the government to recover the funds and prosecute those responsible.

The group said: “Publishing the names will make it hard for companies and contractors to get away with complicity in grand corruption.

“Holding the companies and contractors who collected over N167 billion from 31 MDAs but disappeared with the money will also prevent and combat waste, fraud, and abuse in the spending of public funds.”