RCCG apologises to Fashola over false claim on Ife-Afewara road

The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has tendered an unreserved apology to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing over its allegation of false claims on the rehabilitation of Ife-Afewara Road in Osun State.

The church had initially claimed that the federal government budgeted money for a road it rehabilitated.

• Katsina man hosts ram party to celebrate Buharis return from UK
• Five killed as soldiers storm bandits’ hideout in Benue

But in a statement, Special Adviser on Communications to the Minister of Works and Housing, Hakeem Bello, said the church apologised after it was discovered that the claim it made on the road lacks factual proof.

Bello said the apology was tendered at a public hearing before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

“In the petition dated 24th March, 2021, Secretary to the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Niyi Adebanjo, claimed that the church, after carrying out the rehabilitation of the road, learnt that the company, which was awarded the contract since 2010 and had abandoned the work for over six years, had been paid by the ministry for work praying that the money be retrieved from the company,” the statement read.

Bello said Fashola while responding to the allegation said there was no proof to support the position of the petitioner that an unjust claim was made by contractor or paid by the Ministry between 2016 and 2019.

Fashola, who explained that the road in question was a state road, added that the contract for its rehabilitation was awarded by the Federal Government in 2010 as a ‘Parliamentary Constituency Project’ and domiciled in the budget of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, hence the intervention by the Ministry’.

The petitioner, Pastor Adebanjo, in his response expressed ‘deep regrets’ for taking the matter to the Senate, saying it was not, however, meant to embarrass the Minister or his Ministry but in the spirit of fighting corruption by ensuring that the money paid to the contractor was retrieved and paid to the federal government’s coffers.

However, on realizing that the claims he made in his petition had no factual proof, Adebanjo said, “For the fact that the Ministry of Works deserves an apology and because the whole world is listening to us, I tender that apology unreservedly before this Senate Committee.”