The Unified Nigerian Youth Forum (UFNYF) has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate alleged non-completion of a N57 billion contract awarded to Senator Athan Achonu, governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Imo State.
Addressing a news conference on Thursday in Kaduna, Ali Muhammadu, publicity secretary of the group, said sometimes in 2006, the federal government awarded a N57 billion contract to Achonu and his company, Mathan Nigeria Limited, to construct comprehensive primary health centres in the 774 Local Governments across the country.
The group alleged that the contract had not been completed 17 years after it was awarded.
“We address you today with a bleeding heart over the case of one Chief Athan Achonu and his company, who received the sum of N57b from the account of Local Governments in Nigeria that he was going to construct 774 comprehensive primary health centres in the 774 local governments in Nigeria”, Muhammadu said.
He said his group had petitioned the relevant agencies to “immediately arrest and prosecute the said Achonu and his company, Mathan Nigeria Limited” for failing to complete the project.
According to Muhammadu, “Sometime in 2006, the federal government awarded a contract of N37b to Chief Athan Achonu, a former Senator, for the building and equipping of 774 comprehensive primary health care centres across Nigeria.
“The health centres were to be located, one each, at the 774 Local Government areas in the country.”
The group said the money was pooled from the Local Governments allocation and paid to Achonu’s company, Mathan Nigeria Limited, through the defunct Bank PHB.”
He noted that “17 years after he received payment fully for the execution of the contract, Achonu has not completed the job.”
The group further alleged that the contract was abandoned after the initial payment of N37b .
According to Muhammadu, since 2006, when the contract was awarded, only 263 of the 774 health centres had been built and equipped.
The group said, “Even with the non execution of the said contract, Athan Achonu and his company recently obtained a court order for the variation of the contract upwards to the tune of N20b.”
The group noted that, “With this court order, Athan Achonu and Mathan now draw money meant for Local Governments direct from the federation allocation account in spite of stiff opposition from the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, (ALGON).
“The members of ALGON believe that no more kobo should be paid to his company until he completes the job.
“But he overwhelmed them with his connections and has continued to collect their money by force.
“Worse of all, he is using the money to fund his govenorship campaign instead of building the health centres…
“Curiously, it was only last year that Senator Achonu rushed and completed 26 of the 27 primary health centres in his home State of Imo because he is contesting the governorship election in the state.”
