The Director of Works, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Engineer Hassan Sabo has been accused of carrying out shoddy contracts deals at the detriment of other competent contractors.
As gathered by this medium, various projects worth close to N1 billion are being undertaken by one company named Amber Blaze whose office is located at 12, B11 CITEC Mbora, Abuja which the Director of Works has substantial interest in.
This medium learnt that the said Director is doing this in connivance with Halibiz Consult Limited which is located at 15 Nouakchott Street Wuse Zone 1 Abuja all in a bid to unjustifiably disqualify other contenders and favour Amber Blaze.
“Another company that is also involved in this shoddy act is known as Khalsa, and it is owned by the Director of works, which is currently awarded with a contract of over N150 million for the supply of Public Address System, and this I can tell you didn’t follow due process.”
In all this, there are no tender bid, no advertisement, and no due process followed, for instance Amber Blaze was awarded eight contracts by the Director of works, the details of the eight contracts awarded to Amber Blaze include, Proposed Construction of Agricultural Technology Unit, at the rate of N266, 449, 414.50; Proposed Construction of Center Clinic, at the cost of N97, 187, 204.85, Proposed Construction of Female Hostel at the cost of N265, 928,888.11.
The company was also awarded the proposed construction of Lecture Hall at the cost of N71, 387, 226.45; proposed construction of Library at the rate of N102, 517, 479.94; proposed Construction of Administrative Block at the cost of N79, 536,520.27 and Proposed Supply of Furniture Items for Hostel Block A&B at the cost of N50, 500, 800.00.
Aside the issue of contract award scam, this medium also informed us that there is the issue of tenure elongation, as learnt his tenure has expired. According to rules when a tenure elapses, there will be a call for application for suitably qualified candidates to fill the vacant position, however, as learnt such call for an advertisement has not been made by the institution, however rather than waiting for due process and following the right channel, the Director of Works wrote a letter which he submitted to one Aminu Tukur the Acting Registrar who is in acting capacity following the absence of the Registrar who has gone for Hajj operations in Saudi Arabia.
According to universalreporters247.com findings, the letter was written by the Director of Works for tenure elongation and submitted through the back door even when there has not been call for application for invitation for suitably qualified candidates to fill the vacant post, this medium learnt that the Director is having this unholy romance with the Acting Registrar because a member of the Governing council whom he gave his son a contract.
Meanwhile, speaking with a member of the Governing council who pleaded anonymity when asked about the above issues concerning the Director of Works, he said the Governing council has not met and that when the council met, these information of tenure elongation will be verified and if is true that he seeking for tenure elongation from the back door and not through the proper channel, that they will object to it.
When asked about the alleged contracts scam, he said that he is not aware but they will also find out, on the issue of if the Director is being investigated by the EFCC, he said that was way back two year ago and that he was not in the know of that, but if he is being investigated currently, he said has no knowledge of it.
However, this medium learnt that the EFCC is already investigating the matter which was presented to it about two months ago.
When universalreporters247.com spoke with the PRO of the university, he stated that he will get back to us, however, upon responding back he requested for more time to meet with the Director of Works, however up till the time of filling in this report, he never responded back.
