10TH OCTOBER, 2014 The Chairman Economic and Financial Crimes Commission 5, Fomella Street, Off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 11, Abuja. Dear Sir, REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATE INTO THE IDIMU-EJIGBO ROAD REHABILITATION CONTRACT AWARDED TO METROPOLITAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY BY THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) is a coalition of over hundred and fifty Anti Corruption organizations whose primary aim is to constructively combat corruption vigorously and to ensure the effective monitoring of the various Anti-graft agencies in its activities in the fight against corruption and to enthrone transparency, accountability, probity, and total commitment in the fight to eradicate corruption in Nigeria. On 18th of November 2013, CSNAC wrote a letter, base of complaints from residents of the area, requesting the Lagos State Government provide the organisation with documents relating to the contract for the rehabilitation of Idimu-Ejigbo road in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State; showing the total cost of the contract, name of the contractor in charge, deadline for completion of the project and relevant documents in support of responses to this request. This request was generated as a result of the decrepit state of the road over the years, the commencement of rehabilitation with demolition of properties by the road side and suspension of work by the contractor for two years. On April, 2013, during the Annual Ministerial Briefing marking the second year of second term of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, the Idimu-Ejigbo road was listed amongst ongoing projects of the State. Interestingly, work has seized on the road since 2011, after initial demolition of structures to pave way for rehabilitation work. The Nigerian Tribune on 21st of June 2014, reported on the deplorable state of the roads in that axis of Lagos, drawing attention to the State governments attention to the Idimu-EJigbo road. The newspaper cited interviews with residents who ply the road daily. In an interviewee, Mr. Oluwatoyin’s words, “..... The neglect of roads in Ejigbo is having an adverse effect, not only on the economy of the community, but also on the living standards of the people in this axis. It also constitutes a health hazard, given that people are forced to stay longer than necessary in a position in a bus that is held up in traffic holdup.” Words cannot qualify the hardship residents of this area face as a result of the appalling state of the road. In the FOI letter sent to the office of Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, reference was made to complaints by inhabitants of the area concerning the road. ThisDay newspaper has again reported on the sad state of the road in its January 27, 2014 publication and Tribune published another report the State Government failure to complete work on the road in its July 21, 2014 publication. Since the receipt of our request, dated November 18, 2013, the Lagos Sate Government, in blatant violation of the FoI Act, 2011, has failed to either furnish the Network with the requested information or compel the contractor to mobilise to site for the awarded rehabilitation work. This is a suspected classical case of fraud, abandoned project and corruption. Our independent investigation reveals the rehabilitation work contract was awarded to a company by the name Metropolitan Construction Company. We Therefore, by the powers vested on the Commission under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 and the anti-money laundering act, requesting that the Commission commence an investigation into this uncompleted project that is inflicting untoward hardship on residents of the communities affected by the abandoned road. We shall look forward to your expected prompt action on this matter. Sincerely, Olanrewaju Suraju Chairman
Posted on: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 21:27:31 +0000
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