PAP Disowns Beneficiaries in N3.8bn Unexecuted Contracts Suits

Olusegun Samuel

The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has disowned 15 lists of over 1,200 beneficiaries purportedly empowered with starter packs and items in the ongoing suits at Federal High Courts in Abuja.

The suits are seeking the payment of N3.8billion to 15 companies over alleged unexecuted contracts with links to the vandalised 60billion Presidential Amnesty Programme Training Complex in Boro-Town, Kaiama, Bayelsa State.

According to the amnesty office, the lists, tendered in evidence by the 15 companies and contained names of alleged beneficiaries from states of the Niger Delta, could not be authenticated.

In a letter replying the request from Folurunsho Aweda and Associates under the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the amnesty office argued that after going through the lists of beneficiaries as tendered by the 15 companies in connection with the distribution of empowerment items, the acknowledged stamp shown on the lists forwarded for authentication differed from the standard stamp used by PAP to receive documents from vendors.”

The letter, which disowned the lists, was signed by the Principal Officer on behalf of the Interim Administration, CO MPI Captain (Nigerian Navy) and dated September 8.

The letter said it was further observed that the character “OSAPND” that appeared on the stamped lists of beneficiaries forwarded by the law firm did not match the character on PAP stamp used by the registry Unit during the same period (2019)”

“There is no written evidence acknowledging the documents on all lists of beneficiaries submitted by your firm. Please, note that a written acknowledgement is a standard documentation process in PAP.

“In the light of the above findings, PAP hereby states that the list of beneficiaries forwarded by Folorunsho Aweda and Associates did not originate from the PAP as claimed. Hence, PAP cannot take responsibility for the lists.”