Group Petitions EFCC, ICPC over Alleged Non-completion of N57bn Contract by Ochonu

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Unified Nigerian Youth Forum (UFNYF) has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the alleged non-completion of a N57 billion contract awarded to Senator Athan Achonu, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Imo State.

Addressing a news conference yesterday in Kaduna, the Publicity Secretary of the group, Ali Muhammadu, said sometimes in 2006, the federal government awarded a N57 billion contract to Achonu and his company, Mathan Nigeria Limited, to construct comprehensive primary health centres in the 774 local government areas across the country.

The group alleged that the contract had not been completed 17 years after it was awarded.

It said: “We address you today with a bleeding heart over the case of one Chief Athan Achonu and his company, who received the sum of N57billion from the account of  local governments in Nigeria  to construct 774 comprehensive primary health centres in all the local government  areas in Nigeria.”

Muhammadu said his group had petitioned the relevant agencies to “immediately arrest and prosecute the said Achonu and his company, Mathan Nigeria Limited,” for failing to complete the project.

According to him, “Sometime in 2006, the federal government awarded a contract of N37 billion to Chief Athan Achonu, a former senator, for the building and equipping of 774 comprehensive primary health care centres across Nigeria.

“The health centres were to be located in each of the 774 local government areas in the country.”

The group said the money was pooled from the local governments allocation and paid to Achonu’s company, Mathan Nigeria Limited, through the defunct Bank PHB.”

It noted that “17 years after he received payment fully for the execution of the contract, Achonu has not completed the job,” alleging further that the contract was abandoned after the initial payment of N37 billion.

Muhammadu said since 2006, “when the contract was awarded, only 263 of the 774 health centres had been built and equipped.”

He said: “Even with the non-execution of the said contract,  Athan Achonu and his company recently obtained a court order for the variation of the contract upwards to the tune of N20billion.

“With this court order, Achonu  and Mathan now  draw money meant for local governments direct from the federation allocation account in spite of stiff opposition from the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, (ALGON).”