December 25, (THEWILL) – The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Evelyn Ngige, has been fingered in an alleged procurement fraud.
According to a petition by Phantom Digital Technologies Services Limited, through its lawyers to the Inspector General of Police, Mrs Ngige was allegedly involved in a contract for the supply of 14 vehicles.
Jointly signed by Azeez Taiwo Hassan (Esq) and Adaobi Obioma (Esq), the company, in the petition dated November 15, 2022, said it fulfilled its obligations in the contract but supplied a total of 13 vehicles instead of 14 in their agreement owing to the fluctuations in price resulting from the delay occasioned by the Ministry.
According to SaharaReporters, Dr. Ngige had earlier reported in a petition to the Nigeria Police Force, the alleged theft of vehicle and fraudulent misappropriation of the property of her Ministry.
But, the Company in its petition, said, “In the course of investigating the Petition lodged by the Permanent Secretary, it was discovered that the contract executed by the Director General Services on behalf of the Permanent Secretary on her prompting and directive, violated mandatory provisions of the Public Procurement Act.
“The Permanent Secretary, however, contended that the Contract was void ab initio and sought to mandate the Company to supply the outstanding vehicle whilst refusing to pay the difference in price of over N75, 600,000.00 (Seventy-Five Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) only.
“The company has stated that a fraud has been committed against the Company in a bid to unlawfully obtain the motor vehicles and drag the company to disrepute and ruin.
“The company alleged that this was a ploy set up from the onset to lay false accusations on the Company and its management as it has become evident that the Permanent Secretary dubiously issued oral directives to the Director (General Services) only to deny same and question the validity of the Contract.
“We strongly believe that the Permanent Secretary has singularly conspired to perpetrate this fraud using the Director (General Services) of the Ministry as a medium to effectuate her plans.
“Our client is convinced that the intentions and actions of the Permanent Secretary is (sic) to see our client victimised and prosecuted based on false allegations.
“Given the foregoing, we, therefore, request for an investigation into the actions of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, as regards the procurement process of Pick-up Vans for the Ministry.
“It is important to note that the 2021 budget for the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment made provision for the procurement of 20 (twenty) new vehicles but at the time the procurement process had begun, the amount of money allocated to this could only accommodate 14 (fourteen) new vehicles.
“Also worthy of note is the fact that these vehicles were purchased in United States Dollars and only converted to Naira to facilitate the demand of the aforementioned sum from the Ministry. However, with the fluctuations in conversion rates, the sum total of money due to our client as of date has varied and now totals N75, 600,000.00 (Seventy-Five Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) only.
“We are aware that under Section 4 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, the Police Force has power to cause investigations to be conducted in order to prevent and detect crimes, and protect the rights and freedom of every person in Nigeria as provided in the Constitution or any other applicable law.
“In the light of the above, we believe that this economic sabotage and infringement on the fundamental rights of our client being hatched against our client by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, which is in contravention of relevant provisions of the Criminal Code and Penal Code, amongst others, is within the mandate of the Force.”
“We accordingly appeal you to use your good office to investigate this Petition and bring the culprit to book in order to ensure that our client is protected from unlawful abuse and victimization.”
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