Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) has debunked a special report that stated that it paid a restaurant N147.1m to build classrooms in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
The special report which was published by an online media (not Gatekeepers News) said the Special Assistant to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire awarded the contract.
The OSSAP-SDGs debunked this in a statement signed its Media Assistant, Desmond Utomwen.
Utomwen, while stressing that the report is misleading, said, “The office wouldn’t have dignified the piece with a reply, but for the innocent readers who might not actually understand the crux of the matter, there is a need to set the records straight.
“This is to state clearly that the reports carried a distorted account of the procedure and shows the ignorance of the writer on how things operate in Government institutions.”
The statement read further, “We wish to state categorically that the information contained in the said publication are inaccurate and very likely a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the issues with the intent to embarrass the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President, as there was no Issue of Fraud or abuse of process on the said project.
“OSSAP-SDGs categorically refutes the allegations and has been transparent on this project of the construction of a Skills Acquisition Centre and a block of classrooms in Ajeromi, Lagos State & many of such projects.
“According to records provided by the company during the bid process, the company in question is duly registered with valid incorporation and tax documents with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.”
Utomwen noted that “The allegation of it being a mere restaurant is equally from the figment of the imagination of the author, as the TIN of the company will expose if such anomaly exists.
“The project was executed by a team of professionals with the necessary qualifications and expertise in construction and engineering. The structures were built in accordance with specifications and industry standards, as confirmed by photographic evidence and GPS coordinates provided.
“The decision to relocate the project from its original site in Ajeromi was necessitated by the insufficient space at the original location, to ensure the successful completion of the project.
“Contrary to the claims in the report, the project was executed as specified, and the block of classrooms and skills acquisition centre were completed and commissioned for use.
“Photographic evidence with GPS coordinates are available to substantiate this fact.”
The statement added, “In conclusion, we assert that the report is marred by inaccuracies, as the award of the contract followed due process and was not arbitrary.
For transparency& accountability, the OSSAP-SDGs is prepared to provide necessary documents or evidence to support our position. We also welcome further inquiries and investigations to address any lingering doubts.”
