An investigation into some of the activities of the outgoing Zamfara State government under Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle has exposed how full payments were released from the state’s treasury to contractors handling white elephant projects in the state.
The investigation has uncovered so many shady projects across the 14 local government areas of the State, where projects were awarded, and funds withdrawn and disbursed for same but subsequently abandoned or not near the execution stage.
The incoming government of Governor-elect Dauda Lawal will have a very tough battle to fight, especially going after the people behind the firms awarded and paid for shady contracts by the outgoing government of Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle.
Among such projects initiated by the Bello Matawalle led-government is the construction and furnishing of the Governor’s Lodge in each local government area, which has gulped huge amounts of money without anything to show for it.
This in-depth report has investigated the claim that the Governor’s Lodges in question were constructed and well-furnished. Findings through visits to all locations of the said projects have exposed the names of the contractors that received the payments from the Zamfara State government.
The amount earmarked and released for each local government differs, and the projects were shared among different contractors for execution. The irony is the disbursement of full payment in some cases and over 90% payment to some contractors without completing the projects. Some of the projects were abandoned halfway through in some local governments.
A contractor with the company name H3D International Concepts was paid the sum of two billion, one hundred and seventy-one million, three hundred and three thousand Naira (N2,171,303,781.50) for consultancy service in respect of 147 dispensaries in the 14 Governor’s Lodges across the state.
The Zamfara State government has released the sum of One billion, five hundred and twenty-six million Naira (N1,526,000, 000) to a contractor, the owner of Bes Belmon Nigeria Limited to furnish the yet-to-be-completed Governor’s Lodges across the 14 local government areas.
In Maradun, outgoing Governor Matawalle’s local government area of origin, the sum of N118, 281,150.00 was released to Zannah Kachalla World Link as a complete payment for the construction of the Governor’s Lodge in the LGA. The project has not reached 70% of completion stage despite payment of the total amount of the contract sum to the contractor.
In Anka local government area, the outgoing Governor approved the sum of N118, 281,150.00 for the construction of the Governor’s Lodge in the local government. N102,313,194.75 was released to the contractor, ERMANO Global Enterprise, with the outstanding balance of N15,967,955.25.
Over 80% payment has been released for this project. Pictures from the site of the Governor’s Lodge in Anka LGA have shown only work in progress, not in the final stage of execution, much less furnishing the building.
The contract to construct the Governor’s Lodge in Kauran Namoda and Zurmi local government areas were awarded to SWAT Aga Constructions Nigeria Limited at the sum of N236,562,300.00 out of which the sum of N230, 648,242.40 was released to the contractor.
The outstanding payment to be released to the contractor is the sum of N5,914,057.00. Yet, the pictures from the project sites in both local government areas show nothing near the final stage of execution despite over 90% disbursement of funds.
The same company, Bes Belmon Nigeria Limited, who received over one billion Naira payment meant for the contract to furnish the yet-to-be-completed Governor’s Lodge, was awarded another contract to construct four Governor’s Lodges Bungudu, Bakura, Talatar Mafara and Maru local government areas at the sum of N473,124,600.00. The sum of N461,296,485.50 was paid to Bes Belmon Nigeria Limited for the work. The total outstanding payment is N11, 828,114.50. The projects in these four local government areas have been abandoned as of the time of this report.
The outgoing government awarded the contract to construct Governor’s Lodge in Shinkafi local government to one A.G Almajir Multi-dynamic LTD at the sum of N118,281,150.00. The sum of N115,324,121.25 was released to the contractor for the work. The outstanding balance to be paid is N2,957,028.75. Yet, the project has been on hold despite releasing over 90% of the funds meant for it.
C.G.G.C Engineering Limited was awarded the contract to construct a Governor’s Lodge in Gummi local government. The total amount for thr project is N118,281,150.00 and the sum of N114,732,715.50 was released to the company as payment for the project with the outstanding of balance N3,548 434.50. The work at the Governor’s Lodge project in Gummi has not reached up to 80% completion stage and has been abandoned yet with over 80% payment made.
De Ludo Store LTD was awarded a contract for the total sum of N118,281,150.00 to construct the Governor’s Lodge in the Birnin Magaji local government area. The sum of N94,624,920.00 has been withdrawn from Zamfara State Treasury and equally released to the contractor. The outstanding payment is N23,656,230.00 and yet the project has been abandoned halfway.
In a similar vein, Governor Matawalle has awarded a contract of a total sum of N236,562,300.00 to a firm by the name ‘Ruwan Dorawa’ for the construction of the Governor’s Lodge in the Bakura local government area. The sum of N167,774,654.73 has been released to the contractor. The remaining balance is N68,787,645.27. The project in Bakura is not up to 50% done and has been abandoned too.
Danguruf Pharmaceutical Limited has been awarded a contract for a total sum of N59,141,575.00 to construct a Governor’s Lodge in Bukkuyum local government area. The sum of N35,608, 185.13 was withdrawn from the State treasury and released to the contractor. The outstanding balance for the project is N23,533,389.87 while the project was yet to commence.
* Maradun wrote from Gusau, Zamfara State.
