Orubebe denies Hon. Melaye’s allegations of 29 billion naira fraud in Niger Delta Ministry

…. threatens to  sue Melaye.


Mr Godsday Orubebe, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, in Abuja on Tuesday denied the alleged N29 billion fictitious contract awarded by the ministry.
Orubebe described the allegations as “total fallacy”, stressing that contracts that were awarded for development of the Niger Delta region were visible and verifiable.
The minister was reacting to the statement made by Mr Dino Melaye, the Executive Secretary of Anti- Corruption Network, a Civil Society Organisation.
He said there was no phantom contract in the ministry and threatened to sue  Melaye and his organisation.
The minister said he would  not allow anyone  to rubbish a name that he built over the years.
He said the alleged contract of Canalisation/River Training centre was located in Foupolobulou Ndoro Creek, in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta.
Orubebe said the contract was awarded to First Marine and Engineering Service Ltd. at the sum of N2.3 billion on Feb. 2, 2011.
He explained that the sum of N355 million had been paid to the contractor through First Bank Plc as mobilisation fee.
The minister said the contracting firm started executing the project on June 6, 2011,and had done 40 per cent of the work.
He said the ministry currently owed the contractor N661 million after making some part payments.
Orubebe said another canalisation contract was awarded to Ogbosite International Ltd. at Odoubou, Ogbabagbene in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta on Feb. 2, 2011.
He said the contract sum was N1.2 billion and N188 million was paid to the company as mobilisation fee.
He said work commenced at the site on June 7, 2011 and that the contractor had achieved 65 per cent of the job, while the ministry still owed the contractor N299 million after some part payments.
The minister said the Land Reclamation/Shoreline protection project at Ogbobagbene in Burutu Local Government of Area of Delta was awarded to Snecou Group of Companies Ltd. at the sum of N2.4 billion on March 3, 2011.
He said the ministry mobilised the contractor to the site with N364 million and the work commenced on June 7, 2011 with 8 per cent of the job done.
Orubebe said the ministry owed the contractor N350 million after making many part payments.
He said the procurement bill was passed into law when Melaye was in the House of Representatives.
The minister said Melaye should have known that “the law only permits the ministry to write project proposals and permits Due Process Office to certify all contract processes.’’
“I am an elder in the church, I go to church to preach righteousness, holiness and fear of God. So I cannot compromise my integrity.
“And I will not allow anybody to rubbish my name that I have built over the years,’’ the minister said.
Melaye on Monday alleged that the ministry was involved in fictitious contracts totaling N29 billion between 2010 and 2011.
He said the scam involved payments for phantom projects, over-budgeting and violation of Bureau of Public Procurement guidelines for the award of government contracts.