Findings from this investigation reveal how contractors failed to execute projects while others were “poorly done” despite the release of funds by the Federal Government.
Residents of Chedi, in the heart of kano metropolis, have for decades relied on other communities such Awaki, Masallaci, Festival at Kofar ai, Yola, Shahuci, Madatai for their children’s primary school education.
Chedi ward comprises of Chedi, Darma, Chiromawa and Alkantara communities but the communities have no government primary school structures.
“We all attended schools outside Chedi. There is no government primary school in Chedi,” said Aminu Ulama, a middle-aged man who sells tea in the community.
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“Many of our younger ones will now rather go to Islamic schools and abandon western education,” Ulama said.
The challenge of public schools in Chedi ward and nearby communities in Kano Municipal LGA has persisted despite the release of N49,060,347.00 by the Federal Government through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Office of the Special Assistant to the President- MDGs (OSSAP-MDGs), in 2021.
The funds were released to Fine Tune Energy Resources and Agro-Allied Limited, Absi Building Systems International Limited and Ancob Nigeria Limited between March and April 2021 to execute various constituency projects.
Over N9m released to contractor for non-existent school
In 2021, the sum of N9,350, 319.77 was released to Ancob Nigeria Limited for the construction of a block of two classrooms with furniture at Chedi community school.
Documents from govspend.ng confirmed that the contractor was paid on March 22, 2021. However, findings reveal that Chedi has no public primary school as the communities only have Islamic schools.
During a visit, this reporter found no trace of the project. Residents also confirmed that the ward has not benefited from any federal government constituency project in recent Times.
The Ward Head of Chedi, Nasiru Aminu, said the community has never benefited from a public school or constituency project by any politician or government.
“There is nothing like that in recent years; we have not seen any government intervention in constituency projects despite our appeals,” he said.
Efforts to reach the Kano municipal lawmaker, Ibrahim Sha’aban Sharada, were not successful as calls put across to him rang out while messages sent to him via SMS, WhatsApp and email haven’t been replied to.
Review of the status of Ancob Nigeria Limited on CAC websites showed that the company is inactive.
An inactive company, according to the CAC is one that has not updated its data with CAC.
Such a company has failed to comply with Sections 417 – 424 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020, in filing and updating its annual returns with the CAC. Section 417 of the CAMA states that every company must make and deliver its annual returns to the CAC annually. This means that Ancob Nigeria Limited has failed to meet up with the obligatory provisions as stipulated by the Act, to qualify for the award of the contract.
This also contravenes section 16 (8) (d) of the Public Procurement Act 2007 which states that: “A bidder may have its bid or tender excluded if the bidder is in arrears regarding payment of due taxes, charges, pensions or social insurance contributions unless such bidders have obtained a lawful permit in respect of the allowance, the difference of such outstanding payments or payment thereof in instalments.”
Speaking on the status of inactive companies on the CAC website, the Registrar-General, of the CAC, Garba Abubakar said, “If they have done the right thing, the database will reflect the correct status,” adding that: “The unfortunate thing is, most people think when you register a company you are done with CAC. The law requires that you must file your annual returns every year depending on the size of the company.”
“When you are filing your annual returns, you must attach your audited financial statements.
Most of them have not been doing that,” he said and stressed that any company that does not file its annual returns will be classified as inactive.
A dispatch rider (Gokada) was commissioned to trace the address of Ancob Nigeria Limited at 11B Willobuy Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos, but said he could not locate the company after several visits.
Also, an FOI sent to UBEC, which is the facilitating agency, demanding explanations on the said project was acknowledged but not replied to.
Another contractor gets N9m for non-existent school
On April 13, 2021, the sum of N9,350,319.77 with payment code 517003001 was released to Fine Tune Energy Resources and Agro-Allied Limited for the construction of a block of two classrooms with furniture at Shahuci Special Primary School, in Kano Municipal LGA.
On a visit to the school, the only project was a 2020 construction executed by Cratrex Construction Limited but with the same specifications. The principal of the school, Umar Dan Baba, told this reporter that the 2020 project was the last project by the federal government in the school.
Some seven kilometres from Shahuci, the community leader of Tukuntawa, Alhassan Ibrahim, said the community needs rehabilitation of its existing school, which he described as dilapidated.
This is despite the release of N9,350,319.77 by the federal government to the same Fine Tune Energy Resources and Agro-Allied Limited with payment code, 517003001 on April 13, 2021, for the construction of a block of two classrooms with furniture.
Investigations reveal that the project, though executed, had multiple fissures. The surface of the building had equally peeled off, less than a year after its construction while the roofs were leaking from multiple places.
Speaking on the project executed at Tukuntawa, Aminu Abdullahi, a retired site engineer said the visible signs on the projects aligned to a lack of professionalism and the use of substandard materials.
The contractor had listed No.12 Ummi Plaza, Maiduguri Road, Kano, as its physical address but Ummi Plaza does not exist in the area. However, this reporter discovered Ummi Plaza at Zaria Road but found that there was no No. 12.
A review of the status of the company on CAC websites showed that Fine Tune Energy Resources and Agro-Allied Limited is an inactive company. Like the case of Ancob Nigeria Limited, this means the company has failed to meet up with the obligatory provisions as stipulated by the CAMA Act, 2020 in filing and updating its annual returns with the CAC. This, therefore, means that the award of the contract to the company contravenes section 16 (8)(d) of the Public Procurement Act 2007.
Efforts to reach the Kano municipal lawmaker, Ibrahim Sha’aban Sharada, were unsuccessful as calls put across to him rang out, and text messages sent to him via SMS, WhatsApp and email were not replied to. An FOI sent to UBEC was acknowledged on November 14th but not replied to at the time of filing this report.
How contractor left N11 million project uncompleted at Gandu
At Gandu Special Primary School in Kano Municipal, Absi Building Systems International Limited received the sum of N11,659,067.92 for the renovation of classroom blocks, mosque and perimeter fencing with payment code: 111005001.
However, investigations reveal that the perimeter fence which is part of the renovation project has not been executed.
The school presently has no fencing separating it from its neighbour. Just beside Gandu Primary school is Gandu Girls Junior Secondary School where the sum of N9,350,319.77 was released to Ancob Nigeria Limited for the construction of a block of two classrooms with furniture.
The funds were released on March 15th, 2021 with payment code: 517003001.
Daily Trust Saturday, however, gathered that staff of the school alleged a “shoddy job” when cracks appeared on several parts of the building, less than a year after execution. For a project which includes the supply of furniture, only a desk was sighted while a staff said others have been damaged.
Architect Aminu Abdullahi, who worked as a site engineer, associated the cracks on the wall with a lack of professionalism and the use of substandard materials. He said: “cracking usually starts from the work. Soil could be swampy, sandy, loamy or strong. So, each type requires a different kind of foundation before erecting a building. If you mix it up, there will definitely be problems. If you don’t adhere to the standard, it won’t last.”
A dispatch rider (Gokada) commissioned to find the contractor at 11B Willobuy Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos was unsuccessful.
It was the same for Absi Building Systems International Ltd with address at No 9 Chief Olusegun Ariyibi Close, Megabond Villa Estate, Plot 75, CAD Zone C05, Kafe District,
Lagos State. FOI letters sent to the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs (OSSAP-MDGs) through which all the projects were executed have been acknowledged but not replied to.
This report is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).
