Payment of kick-backs responsible for uncompleted projects — EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that the payment of kick-backs by contractors is partly responsible for some uncompleted projects in the country. Speaking during the Government Contract Dispute Resolution Workshop held on Tuesday in Abuja, the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, said payment of kick-backs, which is a situation where […]

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that the payment of kick-backs by contractors is partly responsible for some uncompleted projects in the country.

Speaking during the Government Contract Dispute Resolution Workshop held on Tuesday in Abuja, the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, said payment of kick-backs, which is a situation where contract is awarded, and a percentage of the sum is requested from the contractors, is a major problem that cannot be allowed to continue.

Represented by Mrs. Enakeno Oju, Magu told participants at the workshop, which was organised by the Dispute Resolution Centre of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) that sometimes, the amount of money that is received after paying the requested percentage by the contractor is not enough to carry out the project assigned.

“There are cases where contract sums are inflated. There have also been cases of projects not implemented at all. We can no longer continue along this line! These are clear examples of corruption in the contract system which must be flushed out of our country,” he said.

The President of the ACCI, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, said the Dispute Resolution Centre of the Chamber was established to enable parties involved in public contracts have an additional option for resolution of commercial disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism.

Kayode said “mediation, conciliation, arbitration and all forms of ADR have been accepted as the appropriate means of resolution of Government Contract Dispute.”