The upper chamber of the National Assembly has revealed how Officials of Ogun/Osun Rivers Basin inflated the construction of water dams and overhead tanks totalling about ₦450 million.
The Senate Committee on Public Account Committee, has, however, ordered a refund of the money.
The locations of the overpaid projects are Agbado-Isoye, Ogun State, Egbado South Local government, Ajinipa in Orire local government, Oyo State, Igan Alade Igua, Yewa North Local government, Panseke in Abeokuta, Asa in Suru-Lere Local Government in Oyo State and many more.
The officials of the Agency, while appearing before the Senate Committee on Public Account, chaired by Senator Mathew Urhogbide, were unable to justify the allegations of the overpayment raised against Ogun / Osun Rivers Basin in the 2016 Report of Auditor-General of the Federation.
The Committee members were irked by consistent overpayment to the contractors by the agency as the officials of Rivers Basin failed to give a convincing explanation to the issue of overpayment in the various contracts being handled.
For instance, in the construction of Asa Dam, about N58 million was overpaid to the contractor, and the Committee ordered a refund.
On the construction of a mini–water scheme at Ajinapa, Orire local government in Oyo state, ₦187 million was overpaid to the contractor Also, during the construction of the mini-water supply scheme at Ipetu–Ijesha, Osun State, a total of ₦37 million was paid for the contingency, compensation, and purchase of Hilux vehicles that were not cited on the ground. In addition, N110 million was overpaid for the contract of Agbado-Isoye Ogun state The Committee also observed that Toyota Hilux vehicles were purchased and provided for the contractors apart from the money collected for the contracts by the contractors in addition, a contingency fee was paid for all contacts, which put the question of the authenticity of the payments made by the agency.
