My quarrels with the honors list

You referred to the failure so far to convict any of those indicted by the numerous probes carried out by the 5th National Assembly.  I feel compelled to draw your attention to the aspect of this that has been bothering me for a long time, because I feel that one who applies headache medication to […]

You referred to the failure so far to convict any of those indicted by the numerous probes carried out by the 5th National Assembly.  I feel compelled to draw your attention to the aspect of this that has been bothering me for a long time, because I feel that one who applies headache medication to stomach ailment is not likely to recover quickly enough.   I am referring specifically to the Power Probe as conducted by Hon. Elumelu. I am an employee of the Design and Management Consultants for the National Integrated Power Project, so naturally I was interested in the Power Probe.

I recall that the Power Probe was started when first the former President, the late Alhaji Yar Adua alleged that $10 billion was expended in the power sector from 1999 to 2007 without commensurate results. A week later, the House Speaker, Dimeji Bankole announced that the amount was not $10 billion, but $16 billion.  And the probe started to uncover those responsible for wasting that $16 billion.

I recall that during the probe, the then Governor of Central Bank, Prof. Soludo, took the stand, and read out ALL monies released to the power sector from 1999 to 2007.  The total came to about $4 billion.  The Accountant General took the stand and read out ALL mandates to the power sector from 1999 to 2007, and it also came to about $4 billion. In spite of the figures from CBN and the Accountant General, the honourable members concluded that in fact, over $16 billion was spent!!!

During the probe, all attempts to explain the peculiar nature of power projects implementation were RUDELY rebuffed. For example an attempt to explain that because the contracts are EPC – Engineering, Procurement and Erection, someone that goes to a power project site six months after advance payment was made was not likely to see much above the ground, because the equipment would still be undergoing procurement, was shouted down.   Also, the honourable members assumed that Letters of Credit (LC) funds were payments in the pocket of contractors.  All attempts to explain that if a project is funded 100% via LC, it does not mean the contractor has collected the money was futile.  He could not collect until certain contractual conditions are met, for example, arrival of equipment at the port in Nigeria.

I got a call from my colleague that went with the honourable members to Uyo, that they refused to film equipment already delivered to site, but they faced the opposite direction and filmed the bush!

There are numerous examples to show that there was no serious attempt to establish facts, but a deliberate attempt to MISLEAD the public right from the beginning of the probe.  And several conclusions of the probe were simply laughable.  For example, while the mandate of the probe panel was to determine how $16 billion was spent between 1999 and 2007, the report recommended the blacklisting of Kazteck, whereas their contract was awarded in 2008.  Kazteck was never invited by the committee, and was never questioned by them, yet the report indicted them.  What the public does not know, which EFCC, ICPC, SSS later found out, was that the contract awarded to Kazteck was earlier awarded to Interaf-Punjlloyed/Hyundai consortium, but was cancelled when Interaf attempted to collect Advance Payment in their name alone, and NIPP insisted that it must be in the name of the consortium.  Then Hyundai and Punjlloyed were contacted directly by NIPP, and they denied any knowledge of the consortium or contract, whereas the technical qualification of the bid was based on the expertise and experience records of these giants as presented in the bid documents!  Interestingly, The MD of Interaf, Chinedu, was the main Consultant to the Elumelu Committee that probed the power sector, and helped them write their report! And the company that got the contract they lost was recommended for blacklisting, even though the period was outside the committee’s mandate!!!.  Another example, Mr. James Olotu, MD, NDPHC, was indicted for “inflating contracts to over 1000%” whereas the man was not even there when the contracts that he “inflated” were awarded!!!  He was appointed MD long after the contracts were awarded!!! The issue of “inflation” of contracts is simply another attempt at deliberate misconception.  Space and time will not permit me to dwell on that here.

I can state without any fear of contradiction that the Power Probe was a sham.  But the big problem is that the general public has been thoroughly MISLEAD and MISINFORMED. The question is, is this the quality of the other probes?  Then is there any wonder that the probes reel out indictments that cannot stand any serious scrutiny or trial?

I recall that during the probe, EFCC, ICPC, SSS invited those that were indicted.  Because the indictments were all based on misconceptions, they could not confirm ANY of them. For example, those that were indicted on the basis that they collected 100% payment without doing any work, showed that the payments were LC funds, which were domiciled in the CBN, and which could not be assessed by those concerned, without meeting set milestones, and evidence of on-going procurements were presented.  But very wrong impressions have been fed to the public, which holds tenaciously to them.  Unfortunately, the agencies (especially ICPC), which had made a public statement that it was going to use the power probe report as a special case study, failed to inform the public after they discovered that the indictments were based on misconceptions and a cheap attempt at revenge.

I write this in the hope that social crusaders as you will ask real questions on the real facts of these probes, and help to determine the facts from the fictions or outright lies. Accept my very warm regards.”

Engr. Ismail Saliu, MNSE 27, Mississippi Street, Maitama, Abuja. 08156264674 [email protected]

RE: We mourn Ghaddafi

Below is also a response to the above sub-title published in this column, on page 39 of the Weekly Trust edition of Saturday October 29, 2011. It is equally reproduced hereunder as sent by the writer:

“Aslm alkm. I have been reading and enjoying your PHILOSOFAITH column for some months now. I must confess that you utterly disappointed me with your WE MOURN GHADAFI. I first wonder your use of WE. (How many people in your unreasonable imagination do you think you are carrying along?) Please you have forced me to ask the following questions: (a) Are you a text book Muslim or a spiritual Muslim? (b) Are you really the one who has been writing the PHILOSOFAITH I have been reading all these past months and enjoying and recommending for others? Let it be known to you that Ghadafi deserved all he got. Only fools and hypocrites mourn Ghadafi. Ma salam. ABDUR-RASHID. Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN”