A civil society organisation, Centre for Public Accountability (CPA), has dragged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC)
It was gathered that CPA dragged the ministry to EFCC and ICPC over allegations of mismanagement and refusal to pay retention funds, belonging to contractors engaged by the ministry in the execution of its various projects, between 2018 and 2020.
The group, led by its Executive Director, Olufemi Lawson, in a petition submitted to the headquarters of both commissions, said the allegations are products of its findings from workers, contractors and stakeholders within and outside the ministry, which exposed how the ministry had resorted into using funds, which were not appropriated for by the National Assembly, to purchase properties among other activities.
The retention in question, according to the group, is the five percent amount from the contract sum deducted and kept by agency of government, which is expected to be paid back to the contractors after six months of job completion, with job certified as being properly done, after final verifications by the agency of government.
According to the petition, CPA said none payment of retention started in 2018.
In 2019, 75 per cent of contractors were not paid the main contract sum, tackless of their various retention, as funds originally allocated for the purpose, were spent on projects not budgeted for. It further said during the said period, the ministry acquired a building worth N7.5 billion, a project which findings revealed was not captured in the 2019 budget and with no record of supplementary appropriation, made by the National Assembly.
The group, which confirmed the receipt of its petition by the anti-graft agencies commended the response it has began to receive on its petition, as it also considers the actions of the leadership of the agriculture ministry, as a deliberate attempt to undermine President Muhammadu Buhari’s rigorous anti-corruption efforts, and his commitment, towards empowering indigenous companies.