Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD), a Kwara-based civil society organisation that operates on fulcrum of #FollowKwaraMoney activities, has charged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to step up its game in the fight against corruption in Kwara State, especially on handling petitions it has been receiving on how Federal Government Constituency projects were executed in 2017.

In a letter signed by its Coordinator, Dr. Alagbonsi Abdullateef, and submitted to the Ilorin Zonal Head of EFCC on February 24, 2020, ENetSuD expressed appreciation with the anti-graft agency for its meticulous investigation of its (the civil society organisation) petitions but expressed concerns that the investigations have not yielded the desired result of completing the projects according to specifications in the public interest.

ENetSuD added: “Despite the diligence and meticulousness of EFCC in the investigation of its petitions, the concerned Ministries and contractors have not fully complied with the reported directives by EFCC to return to the site, a situation that ENetSuD found unacceptable as the petitioner with the greatest interest.

“The latest ENetSuD’s letter to the EFCC is to request the commission to urgently enforce the return of the contractors to the site to complete the abandoned works according to the approved specifications.”

ENetSuD said as part of its support for EFCC, it has forwarded six petitions concerning mismanagement and diversion of public funds released by Federal Government to various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for the execution of constituency projects in Kwara State.

“In addition to our petitions, we have always provided convincing and classical documents, information, and expert advice to the EFCC that we strongly believe would be helpful in its investigation towards ensuring that the public funds work for the public. All the petitions and information that ENetSuD has graciously provided to EFCC have costed us very huge resources that are sourced from our pocket.

“The EFCC has been a very responsive and worthy anti-graft agency that has been commendably attending to all our petitions (except the one written against SMEDAN). We have also enjoyed a very cordial relationship that the EFCC investigators have created with us, which gives us the opportunity of timely feedback on the investigations concerning our petitions.

“While we appreciate all the previous information provided to us by EFCC on our petitions, we also feel that the investigations have not yielded the desired result in the public interest. Moreover, we are concerned that despite the diligence and meticulousness of EFCC in the investigation of Barakat Community, Abata Sunkere, and Oja Gboro drainage projects, the other parties that we wrote petitions against (Ministries and Contractors) have not fully complied with the alleged directives by EFCC, which is unacceptable to us as the petitioner with the greatest interest. We will like to be specific as follow:

“EFCC had reportedly directed the contractor handling Barakat community drainage to the site so as to complete the work according to the Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation (BEME). However, the contractor only returned to demolish some parts to be corrected and commenced the correction but did not complete the expected corrections. He has abandoned the corrections since September, 2019.

“In conclusion, we are requesting the EFCC to kindly consider the following prayers: Our petition against SMEDAN submitted to the Chairman’s office in Abuja should be attended to.

“Inform us about the progress made on the prosecution concerning Abata Sunkere project, and ensure that contractors handling Barakat drainage and Oja Gboro drainage are returned to the site to complete their works as per the missing items highlighted in the petition and in compliance with the BEME.”

Update news