The upper chamber also bought cars from Dua Creations Limited (N77million), Swiftcode Technologies Limited (N181million), Frontline Infasys Ltd (N91.3), and Lachoso Engineering Systems Nigeria Ltd (N55million).
For its own share of the car bonanza, the House of Representatives turned to Wadatu Global Company Limited (N145million), Bimfirst Multiventures Ltd (N50million), Vish Integrated Service Limited (N50million), Pimpex Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. (N145million), 3 Brothers Concept Nigeria Limited (N400million), Ideki Services Limited (N100million), Braimuh Nigeria Limited (N250million), Mahasam Nigeria Limited (N500million), Unified Marketing Limited (N145million), Hydofield Services Nigeria Ltd. (N60million), A.A. Marmaro Nigeria Limited (N111.4million), Auto Beauty (N97million), Southern Contractors (N50million), Nwezei Merchandised Limited (N50million), and Assamad Procurement & Services Nigeria Ltd (N60million).
READ ALSO : Next to be sacked is the Nigeria’s immigration boss - Senator tells Buhari, reveals reason
Other contractors who supplied vehicles to the lower chamber are MNM Construction Ent. Services Ltd. (N100million), Jaaniyat Inter Concept Ltd (N60million), PAN Nigeria Ltd (N160million), D.C. Okika Nigeria (N60million), Paki Int’l Motors Ltd (N80million), Afric Capital Nigeria Ltd (N250million), Pranav Contracting Nigeria Ltd (N50million), Sure Delivery Nigeria Limited (N71million), Shazamzam Construction Ltd (N103million), Omatie Global (N366.1million), Bilmos Nigeria Ltd (N400million), and Clario View Nigeria Ltd (N52.5 milClario
The federal legislature’s management unit bought its own N430million worth of cars from Omaiauto Ltd (N21million), M/S Atlantic Authos Ltd (N100million), Bestline Nigeria Ltd (N50million), Alheri Nigeria Ltd (N150million) and Autonorths Nigeria Ltd (100 million).
Investigations by this newspaper show that 30 of these contractors are not registered on the Bureau of Public Procurement’s database of federal contractors, indicating they are ineligible to be given jobs or paid any money from the federal treasury. Seven of the 30 are not even registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
This newspaper was able to establish that payments for the cars were made from an extra-budgetary N10 billion discreetly and curiously released to the National Assembly by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, under the guise of helping the lawmaking arm to settle its outstanding liabilities.
Two reliable sources in the National Assembly described the payments for the cars as a charade, saying they were made as part of arrangements to funnel bribes to some top officials of the National Assembly.
The National Assembly has its own block budget of N125billion from which it ought to pay for all its purchases and liabilities.
The purchases were also made at a time advocacy group, OneCampaign, said 2,300 Nigerian children under five die each day of preventable causes.
“You can reduce this by providing at least one percent of Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Fund for basic healthcare,” the group said in an ongoing media campaign it is running.
READ ALSO : Looters’ list: PDP started trouble by challenging FG - Uduaghan
Previous sprees
This is not the first time the eighth National Assembly under Senate President Bukola Saraki is engaging in illegal car buying spree.
In December 2015, about six months after the inauguration of the Assembly, PREMIUM TIMES uncovered a plan by the lawmakers to buy cars worth N4.7 billion despite the harsh economic difficulty the country faced at the time.
Related Story: State Visit: Buhari Returns To Abuja, Joins Muslim Faithful To Observe Friday Prayer
In August 2017, the House of Representatives said it placed orders for N6.1 billion worth of new Peugeot 508 cars for all its 360 members.
President Muhammadu Buhari had vowed to stop the lawmakers from wasting scarce national resources on cars they were not entitled to.
Speaking during a presidential media chat, Mr Buhari vowed to fight the N4.7 billion car expenditure of 2015.
“If I can turn down N400 million for the presidency that I do not need any new car because of the economy, I can’t see the National Assembly spending that N4.7 billion to buy cars, on top of transport allowance they collect.”
Mr. Buhari did not however succeed as the lawmakers went ahead to acquire the cars.
In November 2016, a Lagos-based lawyer and activist, Malcolm Omirhobo, sued the National Assembly over the purchase of the cars, and alleged a breach of the Public Procurement Act.
He also asked the court to decide “Whether in the face of section 42 of the 1999 constitution, it is lawful for the defendants to use taxpayers money to purchase exotic and expensive cars considering the country’s economic situation.”
Premium Times
Are you an artiste? Do you want your music to go viral and reach a large number of audience? Promote your music and Submit your story on Ujuayalogusblog.com by clicking here. For Advert Inquiries Tel/+44(0)7590363984 Subscribe to Ujuayalogusblog.com News!
For More: Visit Us at Uju Ayalogu's Blog
No comments:
Post a Comment