The Senate through its Committee on Public Account (SPAC), has summoned the former Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank ( FMBN), Mallam Gimba Yau Kumo, to appear before it over alleged irregularities on N3billion Constract Award.
The Contract as contained in the 2018 Audit report submitted to the committee by the Office of Auditor General of the Federation , was awarded in four phases resulting into over payment of about N118,717,892 million.
Auditor General of the Federation in the report made available to newsmen by Chairman of the Committee , Senator Mathew Urhoghide ( PDP Edo South) , on Friday said : “the contract was awarded to a contractor in four phases at a total contract sum of N 3,045,391,531.97.
“It was however observed that the second, third and fourth phases of the contract were above the approval thresholds of the Bank.
“It was also observed, from the examination of payment documents that the contractor was overpaid in the sum of N 118,717,892.72 that resulted from irregular addition of 5% Withholding Tax in the Bill of Quantity on each of the four phases of the contract.
“Physical inspection of the site revealed that a provision of N80, 000,000.00million was made and paid for the implementation of “Unified Access and Attendance System” but the device was not working according to specifications.
“A sum of N 644,040,000.00million was also provided in the Bill of Quantities for offshore training and other deliverables in the 3rd and 4th phases of the contract, but there was no evidence of execution, in contravention of Financial Regulations 70.”
But the incumbent Managing Director of FMBN , Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa in his explanation to the committee on the query said the contracts were awarded in 2011.
He said,” The Contract was awarded by the previous Management in 2011 to design , build and implement a Mortgage Banking Business Process Solution workflow and infrastructure with the aim of creating an Enterprise software that will integrate all the Bank’s processes.
” This Management after an assessment of the contractor’s performance of the contractor’s obligations on the contract , expressed dissatisfaction with the Service rendered by the contractor.
” Management, thereafter , severally engaged the contractor over all the issues surrounding the project which include amongst others the issue of overpayment of the sum of N118 million due to wrong addition of WHT to the contract award sum in all the four phases as well as other payment to the contractor.
” A settlement agreement was thereafter entered into by FMBN and Messr Starter-Point LTD on the mode of repayment of all outstanding due to the bank.
‘Payment of the contract sum for phases three and four were made to the contract by the previous Management based on the milestone achievement as specified in the contract agreement.
“Each payment was duly certified by the in-house consultant appointed by the bank for the project Messes. Comsoft Limited.
“Based on the contract specifications, the phase three modules were duly completed functional, however, off-shore training was not conducted for this phase.
” The settlement agreement between the bank and the vendor has also taken into consideration the payment made for the off-shore training that was not done by the vendor.
” No final payments.were made by the bank on the phase four project.”
Not satisfied with the explanation, the Committee Chairman , ordered the Clerk to write the former MD to appear before it this week for convincing explanations on rationale behind the irregular award of the contracts in question.
” The current boss of FMBN should also help in getting his predecessor here , failure of which will make the committee sustain the query”, he said.
