Group Ask EFCC to Probe N600 Million Contract for Construction of Schools Under Wike Tenure as Minister of Education

George Okoh In Makurdi

A group under the aegis Benue Arise Network (BAN), has urged the Economic  and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to wade into the abandonment of construction work on the over N600million Federal Government Girls’ Model Secondary Schools in Benue State after the release of funds.

The project was part of the contract awarded 2013 in 13 states by the Federal Ministry of Education for the construction of Federal Government Girls Model Secondary Schools at the cost of over N3.2billion.

Spokesman of the group, Comrade Terfa Youghyough lamented yesterday in Makurdi that the contractors handling the projects situated in Guma, Logo and Ushongo local governments areas of the state allegedly connived with officials of the Federal Ministry of Education to divert funds meant for the projects four year after the awards.

He said, “we are pained because these contracts were awarded in 2013 for the construction of three Junior Model Girls secondary schools in Guma, Logo and Ushongo Local Governments of Benue state but the contracts were abandoned shortly after the award and mobilization of contractors.

“These awards were done under the direct supervision of the then Minister of State for Education and now Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.”

“Regrettably while the Junior Girls Secondary School Ikwo, Ebonyi state was constructed and commissioned by Wike on the 15th of February 2014, those situated in Benue were abandoned after huge funds were allegedly released for that purpose.

“The development has left several of our daughters who were the school’s prospective candidates, in total despair hence the need for the anti graft agencies, (EFCC and ICPC) to probe what