Contract Scam Rocks Ojukwu Varsity As Staff Drag Ag. VC, Others To EFCC 

Contract Scam Rocks Ojukwu Varsity As Staff Drag Ag. VC, Others To EFCC

Staff of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against alleged contract racketeering, fraudulent activities and abuse of office.

The period against the Acting VC was “For contract Racketeering Amounting To Public

Violation, Fraud and Financial Crimes”.

The complainants, who wrote through Joseph Onu, Managing Consultant at Shield and Sword Consult, Abuja based Legal Practitioners said the Ag Vice Chancellor who doubled as the chairman of the University’s Tenders Board had had reckless disregard for due process and a penchant for awarding contracts to family members.

They said the family with one Paul used multiple companies all registered by him in multiple violations of the Public Procurement Act 2007.

“Our clients have diligently obtained some evidence of these abuses of public office and financial crimes through the splitting and awarding of contracts for personal gains,” it said.

They said some of the infractions were . Re: Allocation for year 2024 TETFUND Special High Impact Project Intervention phase XIV 2024V/FXS13, Disbursement of first Tranche of Funds amounting to N4 billion

The Petitioners said due process was not followed in splitting and awarding the contracts as there were no public notifications for expression of bids as required by the Public Procurement Act.

They further alleged that the contractor was being prosecuted by Independent Corrupt Practices and

Related Offences Commission (ICPC) at the time it was awarded.

They said the “Staff Biometric Capturing Exercise” contract was awarded by the Ag. Vice-chancellor to her family members in total disregard for conflict of interest which violated parts of the Public Procurement Act 2007.

“This is an inactive company on the records of the Corporate Affairs Commission. An inactive company means that it has been denying the Government of the Federation taxes for decades”, they alleged.

They said the facelift of the University Gate House, Igbariam Campus

The University was started by the Ag. VC and her family members without input from the University’s Director of

Physical Planning and valuation by the Council as required by law.

They alleged that the project had gulped between N65 million and N100 million while the solar street lighting in the College Of Medicine, Amaku, Awka for about N20 million in similar manner.

“This project has never worked in the college with the students left in darkness, the contract sum was paid into the account of the Ag. Vice-chancellor’s family member

“The Ag. Bursar will be able to provide proof of payment and account details,” he said.

They said the Ag. Vice-chancellor through her children took advantage of

her office to enter a business transaction with the Chukwuemeka

Odumegwu Ojukwu University, to sell only their family table water

(KONCIO) within the entire University premises.

“KONCIO table water and

KONCIOO Enterprises Ltd had the and her children as persons with significant control of the companies.

“When University Council got wind of thls gross violation of the procurement process, it directed the termination of the relationship and

sale of the table water within the University.

However, the Ag. Vice-chancellor in contravention of Part xI (s. 10) and s. 2 (a, b, c, d, e, f, and g)

of the Public Procurement Act 2007, circumvented the Council directive

and introduced another table water named B-ORIENT Table water and gave it monopoly of the water market within the University.

“A further investigation and petition by a staff to Council on behalf of the shop owners in the University minimart at the Igbariam campus, got Council to once again direct the stoppage of the sale of B-Orient Table water.

“But the Ag. Vice-chancellor, has persisted in the act of violation of the conflict-of-interest doctrine of the Public Procurement Act,” they said

Another allegation was the

Printing of Student Identification Card

where the Ag. Vice Chancellor’s family member Instructed the

Dean of Students Affairs to transfer the money meant for the printing of identity cards for students to him.

According to them, the Dean transferred the sum of N4.5 million to the family member of the Acting Vice Chancellor and the identity card was neither printed nor his money refunded

“These are dues and service charges generated by the Students Affairs

Directorate, that to be used for running cost of the student’s hostels and

other student activities,” it said.

They also faulted the call for reconsideration of the award of Year 2023 TETFUND Annual Intervention (LOT), Construction

of Department Of Architecture Building which they said was awarded at the cost of

N414 million with 48 weeks completion time and the funds were made available promptly.

“The contractor promptly completed 92 percent of the work and was to finish the job and take his remaining 15 percent from TETfund but she saw the contract as an avenue to extort money from the university.

“We hereby petition against all the individuals and corporate entities involved in the fleecing of public funds under the pretentious cover of contract awards.

“Their actions clearly amount to gross violations of the procurement

processes and undermines the proper administration of the Chuk

wuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam,

Anambra State,” he it said.