Concerning UCH contracts

Also, in June 2009 several companies were informed of their success in the pre-qualification exercise and again, asked to pay another non-refundable sum of N50,000 each, prior to collection of the actual tender documents. To date, UCH has neither opened the tender documents nor awarded contracts from the exercise despite raking in several millions of naira in non-refundable deposits.

On enquiry, contractors were told by the very few willing staff that funds were not received from the supervising ministry for the award of advertised contracts! It is now almost end of budget year – a time unused funds are expected to be returned to the treasury. The National Assembly has also, as part of their oversight functions, queried the non-utilisation of funds accrued in the current budget.

This can only be a scam or a form of executive extortion which should be thoroughly investigated by relevant supervisory bodies with a view to cleaning up our image as a nation.

Gboyega Adebola,
Lagos