SGF Crisis: We Didn’t Not Pay Kickbacks, We Paid Back Loan-Contractor

The Managing Director of Josmon Technologies, Hussaini Abdullahi has denied ever paying kickbacks to Mr.  Babachir Lawal, Nigeria’s embattled Secretary to Government of the Federation SGF.

Newsdiaryonline confirmed that Josmon was the company which actually got the contract for clearing of invasive plants on water channels which has been wrongly christened “grass cutting contract.”

The Managing director spoke at a public hearing by a civil society Organization, Cititzens Action To Take Back Nigeria,CATBAN, in Abuja Tuesday on the controversial case between the Senate and the SGF which degenerated to the point that the upper legislative chamber insisted Lawal must resign.

Though Josmon’s MD has admitted that his company paid money into the accounts of Rholavision, he said it was a refund for   loan which enabled Josmon complete the project within stipulated time.He said the idea of taking the loan from Rholavision (consultants to the project) came when the contractors were facing financial challenges and Rholavision offered to assist with the loan in order complete the contract within the stipulated time.

He drew attention to a signed document which confirms a loan agreement between Rholavision Engineering and Josmon Technologies.

A copy of the loan agreement dated 7th day of March 2016. The agreement identified Rholavision as the lender while Josmon was the borrower.

The agreement said inter alia “That the lender shall lend the borrower the sum of N170,000,000.00(One Hundred and Seventy Million Naira only).

“That the lender shall collect N25,000,000.00(Twenty Five Million Naira only) as interest for the loaned sum of N170,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Seventy Million Naira only)from the borrower).

“The said N170,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Seventy Million Naira only) shall be paid to Kamira Technical Works which stand as a guarantor for the Borrower.This is to enable the guarantor monitor the project and disbursement.”

These facts came to light at the public hearing where CATBAN presented report of its independent findings into the so called “grass cutting contract”.

Reading the report on behalf of CATBAN, Mr Ibrahim G.Wala recalled that after the Senate called on SGF to resign, his CSO gave a deadline of December 31st 2016 when Lawal must resign otherwise CATBAN will hit the street on January 1,2017.

However, he said the group’s threat of mass protest was followed by feedback from people who called for a CSO led independent investigation. And CATBAN began its independent investigations afterwards.

He said principally,   it was not a contract for grass cutting at IDP camps rather the contract was for the removal of invasive plants along River Channels and 115 hectares of simplified Village Irrigation Operation in Yobe State.

Wala said the “documents (which were also distributed to all) show that the contract was not awarded to Rholavision .It was awarded to Josmon Technologies..”

Furthermore, he said we were informed that a major director in the company (Josmon,which got the contract and executed it) has a twin brother who is working as a personal assistant to one of the Senators. We could not ascertain if the Senator has any direct interest in the firm”

He further revealed that “Rholavision was engaged only as a consultant even though the Senate Committee created the impression the company of SGF executed the contract.”

Wala also disclosed that CATBAN found out that corruption, political intrigues could be at the heart of the battle against the SGF. He said CATBAN found out that some officials in one of the states wanted PINE fund allocated to them directly like SURE-P so that they could share. It was PINE’s insistence on awarding the contract to corporate bodies that would deliver that made a commissioner in one of the States to tell the Senate that no project was executed.

He disclosed that there was clear evidence that Babachir Lawal had resigned his directorship of  Rholavision and other companies. Also, he said when the controversy over directorship of the company emerged, even though the Senate said it had certified True Copy of Babachir’s paper, when the company itself  approached the CAC for the copies, Rholavision’s file was missing at CAC.

He disclosed that the contract was to clear the thypa grass which had become a source of problem hampering agriculture and water supply to farms in Jigawa -Yobe states axis and beyond. Several IDPs were employed to carry out manual clearing of the thypa grass from the water channels.

Wala said after conducting its on-the-spot assessment, “CATBAN can assert with authority that the contract was indeed carried out. The claims that it was meant to clear grass in IDP camp or that nothing has been done are nothing but unfortunate lies.”