Benue orders construction firm to refund N923m

The Benue State Executive Council has mandated Hajaig Construction Nigeria Limited to refund N923 million to the state coffers after it allegedly failed to execute a 47.2km road contract.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the firm was expected to construct Daudu-Gbajimba Road in Guma Local Government Area.
The State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Ngunan Addingi, told newsmen in Makurdi that the Council also terminated the road contract with Hajaig.
Addingi explained that the Benue State Government had in 2006 awarded the contract to Hajaig Construction Nigeria Limited and made several payments afterwards.
According to her, the company refused to execute the project after collecting the money and later moved out of the site.
She said: “This contact was awarded since 2006.
“There were monies that were released to them.
“In fact, they are owning the state about N923 million and the Exco has asked the company to refund same.”
Addingi said the Exco also approved the termination of 49.9km Sankara-Chito-Vaase Road contract following the inability of the government to mobilize the contractor to site.
She said the contact was awarded at the cost of N4.8 billion in 2012.
Addingi further said the Exco also approved that a forensic audit be conducted at Benue Investment and Property Company between 2016 to 2019.
She said another forensic audit would also be conducted at Benue Internal Revenue Service between 2015 to 2019 for the government to understand exactly the companies’ financial details.
The Commissioner further disclosed that the Exco also approved the sum of N10 million for the procurement of prevention equipment for the dreaded coronavirus and the expansion of the emergency response committee.