Publish names of contractors who disappeared with power project funds – SERAP tells Fashola

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola (SAN) to provide information on names and details of contractors that allegedly collected money for electricity projects, but failed to execute them.

It said such information should cover the period, starting from the return of democracy in 1999 to 2018, including details of specific projects and the amounts that have been paid to the contractors and companies, level of implementation of electricity projects and their specific locations across the country.

The request was made under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act in a letter dated January 4, 2019 and signed by the SERAP Senior Legal Adviser, Ms Bamisope Adeyanju.

“If the requested information is not provided within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, SERAP shall take appropriate legal actions under the Freedom of Information Act to compel you to comply with our request,” it warned.

SERAP noted that former Vice President and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar blew the whistle on Channels TV, when he reportedly said: “Contractors were given some contracts for power projects and were paid hundred per cent upfront. The money went down the drain. Up till now, we are not holding the contractors responsible. People have collected money upfront one hundred per cent and have disappeared; and have not even done any work.”

The group added: “The revelation by Atiku is entirely consistent with SERAP’s recent report titled: ‘From Darkness to darkness: How Nigerians are paying the price for corruption in the electricity sector’, which also revealed how over N11 trillion meant to provide regular electricity supply was allegedly squandered by politicians and contractors under successive governments.”

The organisation contended that by publishing the names of the contractors and their registration details, if any, Nigerians would be better able to hold them to account for allegedly absconding with public funds meant for electricity projects, thereby throwing the country into perpetual darkness and socio-economic stagnation as well as denying people their human rights.

SERAP added that to date, no contractors who allegedly collected money for electricity projects not executed or poorly executed have been investigated for corruption, let alone prosecuted and fined. Senior public officials, who apparently served as intermediaries for these contractors and companies keep escaping justice.

It argued that publishing the names would make it hard for contractors and companies to get away with complicity in corruption.

“It is important to show that your office and indeed this administration would not shield or allow ingrained wrongdoing by contractors and companies in the power sector to go unpunished. Unless the names of the contractors and companies are disclosed and widely published, alleged corrupt contractors and companies executing electricity projects will not be deterred and the victims of corruption that they committed will continue to be denied justice and effective remedies,” SERAP stated.