One key outcome of the 15th Brics summit, hosted by South Africa, is the decision to invite six more countries to join the group with effect from January 2024. They are Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. All six had applied for membership. The enlargement will grow the association’s membership to 11, and increase its envisaged role as a geopolitical alternative to global institutions dominated by the west.
The five current member countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – have argued that their size, in economic and population terms, was not represented in the world’s institutions, particularly the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The Brics five represent about 42% of the world’s population and more than 23% of world GDP.
The enlarged grouping will account for 46.5% of the world population. Using the IMF’s 2022 GDP data, we can deduce that it will account for about 30% of global GDP.
The disparate nature of the six new members is bound to spark debate about the real nature of Brics.
In his welcoming remarks at the summit (22-24 August), the host, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, stated:
Brics stands for solidarity and for progress. Brics stands for inclusivity and a more just, equitable order. Brics stands for sustainable development.
The group has been remarkably consistent on these values and aspirations.
Understanding the nature of Brics
One of the first questions about Brics is often “what is it?”. This is telling. This question does not come up, for example, about the European Union or even the G20.
Brics is not an organisation (it has no headquarters, secretariat or treaty). But it does have a formal institution that is jointly owned – the New Development Bank. Confusion about Brics’ precise nature is understandable.
In international relations, both terms are strictly defined. The term “alliance” refers to a mutual defence pact and implies military cooperation. A “bloc” refers to ideological consistency (political bloc) or a free trade agreement (trade bloc). Brics has none of these characteristics.
The members also disagree on some key issues. China and Russia are noncommittal (at best) on the aspirations of India, Brazil and South Africa to become members of the UN Security Council. Their declarations have over the years reiterated the same phrase:
China and Russia understand and support the aspirations of India, Brazil and South Africa to play a greater role in the United Nations.
This shows there is some serious disagreement within the group.
As a political scientist interested in global politics, I have written about Brics and its potential for changing the status quo. With hindsight, I can assert that certain principles have informed it since its establishment and first summit in 2009. In my view, at a material level, the 15 years of summit declarations point to four fundamental values:
mutual development
multilateralism
global governance reform
solidarity.
The association self-reportedly seeks secure sustainable development for itself and the global south, to safeguard and advance multilateralism, to institute reform for the goal of representative institutions, and to achieve solidarity among members.
Economic development
Economics comes first in the group; at its root, it is a collective of emerging economies eager to sustain and improve their economic trajectory. Their insistence on reform is, after all, based on their perceived disproportionate under-representation in global financial institutions.
The group’s first, and so far only, notable establishment is the New Development Bank, primarily to finance infrastructure development. There’s also a contingent reserve that members can draw from in emergencies. It is valued at US$100 billion.
Multilateralism
The second value refers to the group’s concern about the use of entities outside the UN to pursue global objectives. Most notable is the use of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) to invade Afghanistan in 2001 following the 9/11 attacks in the US, and the invasion of Iraq in 2003 by the US and the UK, circumventing the UN Security Council.
Russian president Vladimir Putin expressed this concern in his speech to the 2007 Munich Conference on Security:
The use of force can only be considered legitimate if the decision is sanctioned by the UN. And we do not need to substitute NATO or the EU for the UN.
Global governance reform
Thirdly, the Brics countries have long pushed for leaders of global institutions to be elected in a transparent and democratic way. For example, the president of the World Bank has always been an American, and the managing director of the IMF a European. The World Bank has 189 member states and the IMF 190.
The idea of the New Development Bank was not to substitute the World Bank but to “supplement” existing international financial institutions. Brics still envisions a World Bank in which its members have voting rights proportional to their economic weight, and with staff drawn from across the world in a geographically balanced way.
Solidarity
Finally, the members have articulated solidarity with one another in a number of declarations, beginning in 2010. It comes down to mutual assistance in times of humanitarian disasters, respecting one another’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In light of criticism and sanctions plans against China, for its alleged suppression of the Uyghur-Muslim population, and Russia, for invading Ukraine, solidarity has come to mean silence or nonalignment.
A blank slate
Brics is a nebulous entity. This has proved beneficial for member countries hosting Brics summits. They get to set the agenda and use it for their ends – without upsetting the consensus. One common pattern has been the use of summits to set overarching themes that are favourable to the host country’s domestic policy and regional leadership or foreign policy stance.
Thus, for example, all Brics summits hosted by South Africa foregrounded Africa in their names: “Brics and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism” in 2023. Brazil and Russia have inserted issues that are important to their region, and often invited leaders of neighbouring countries to retreats.
This shows how much clout they enjoy, as they get to funnel access to a now-renowned association that is simultaneously well established but also evades easy definition. With the addition of the six new members, such evasiveness is set to only continue.
THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has distanced itself from owing the country’s senior women’s football team, Super Falcons, their bonuses from the just concluded FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted in Australia and New Zealand.
The country’s apex football administration president, Ibrahim Gusau, made this known on Thursday in Abuja while appearing before the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee after being summoned.
The NFF told the committee that the Super Falcons had been paid their match bonuses and allowances owed them last Friday.
Asked regarding the unpaid allowances of the Super Falcons in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Gusau explained that no funding was released for their participation.
He noted that $960,000 was given to all 32 countries that qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Giving an explanation of the $960,000, the NFF president explained that it was preparation money provided by FIFA to be used by the participating countries to prepare the teams for the World Cup.
“We can’t use this money to pay outstanding allowances for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup,” he said.
Rattled by the unpaid 2019 bonuses, the chairman of the ad hoc committee, Blessing Oni, questioned how the NFF was able to fund the Super Falcons campaign at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted by France.
Unsatisfied by NFF’s response, Onu ordered that the documents of how the Super Falcons were funded in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, including match bonus payments for the 23 players and the coaching crew, should be provided by the NFF before August 30, 2023.
Gusau, in response to a question about their funding he told the ad hoc committee’s that they usually get funded by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA.
On funding, the NFF stressed that the Federal Government does not provide funds for its staff and officials; rather, the federation gets its operational cost from FIFA.
He said: “The Confederation of African Football provides $250,000 per annum as a subvention fund.”
THE Chicago State University (CSU) has responded to a request by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, seeking to obtain academic records of President Bola Tinubu at the institution.
Abubakar went to a US Court to force the institution to release an acceptance letter, attendance and other related document of Tinubu’s undergraduate days in the school.
Atiku, through his lawyer, Angela M. Liu, is requesting documents that include records of his enrollment and admittance to the University, dates of attendance, as well as any degrees, honours, and honours Tinubu may have received at the institution.
Atiku informed the Court that the subpoena was issued to investigate the accuracy and truth of Tinubu’s claims, adding that Tinubu is currently the president of Nigeria and is involved in numerous legal battles over his election and the validity of documents proving his enrollment at Chicago State University.
In its response, the CSU restated that President Tinubu is a graduate of the institution.
In a document shared by the PDP on its official Twitter account on Thursday, August 24, the CSU said it needs to understand why Tinubu’s academic records could have any bearing on a 2023 election challenge in a foreign country.
However, it stated that Tinubu’s academic record would be made public whenever an order is issued by a court in the United States (US).
“Bola Tinubu, the President of Nigeria, graduated from the University in 1979.
“One of his political opponents, Abubakar, seeks discovery from the University of Tinubu’s student records and information about the dates and circumstances certain diplomas were issued by the University, asserting such discovery is pertinent to a Nigerian proceeding challenging Tinubu’s election earlier this year.
“The student records Abubakar seeks from the University via a documents subpoena (Doc.1-1) and the information Abubakar seeks the University to provide pursuant to a deposition subpoena (Dec. 1-2) concem Tinubu’s private educational records. But since Tinubu has intervened to oppose this discovery, the University defers to Tinubu on the privacy issues implicated by Abubakar’s Application,” the statement reads.
The University said it struggles to understand how-given that Tinubu did, in fact, graduate from the University in 1979-Tinubu’s grades and other student records from the 1970s and date and signatory information on subsequently issued ceremonial diplomas could have any bearing on a 2023 election challenge in a foreign country.
The University admitted that it is not familiar with the issues in the Nigerian proceeding or the evidentiary and other legal principles applicable therein.
Accordingly, the CSU said it defers to Tinubu, who is involved in that foreign proceeding, to move objections to the Atiku’s application.
“The University respectfully requests that this Court, in ruling on the application, scrutinize both the actual status of the Nigerian proceeding and the likelihood that any discovery information provided by the University would, in fact, be considered in the Nigerian proceeding.
“The University Reserves Objections to the Scope of the Discovery Sought by Abubakar. Finally, in the event the Court determines to allow any discovery to proceed here, the University urges the Court to direct only limited, targeted discovery on the University.
The CSU added that without limiting further objections, the University notes that the scope and relevancy of Abubakar’s requests are inappropriate.
In conclusion, the institution stated that following the Court’s ruling on the request, should any discovery be permitted, it will meet and confer promptly and in good faith with Abubakar’s counsel to attempt to address all the University’s concerns.
On Tuesday, August 1, the Presidential Election Tribunal reserved judgment on the petitions filed by Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) against the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.
In different suits, Atiku and Obi are challenging President Tinubu’s declaration as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In Atiku’s case, the respondents in the suit are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Tinubu and the All Progressives Party (APC).
After adopting the parties’ final written addresses, the Tribunal reserved judgment on the petition.
The Chairman of the Tribunal, Simon Haruna Tsammani, announced that the verdict would be given at a later time that would be made known to all parties.
JAMIACA’S Danielle Willams has emerged as the winner of the 2023 world women’s 100m hurdles champion at the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
Williams who finished in the top position of the race ended with 12.43 seconds to deny Nigeria’s medal hopeful Amusan, who finished 6th with 12.62.
Puerto Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and USA Kendra Harrison ended at the second and third positions with 12.44 and 12.46, respectively.
Amusan’s sixth position also denied her a podium finish.
The Nigerian road to the final saw her begin her campaign from the heat 5 qualification, where she emerged at the top with 12.48 seconds to progress to the Semis, where she finished as winner with 12.56 seconds.
Last year, Amusan emerged as the World Champion in Oregon in the women’s 100m Hurdles.
THE National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its latest report, the organisation said the unemployment rate has fallen to 4.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2023, translating to 8.2 million unemployed Nigerians based on the estimated 200 million population.
The report, covering the fourth quarter of 2022, revealed that 5.3 per cent of the population, equivalent to 10.6 million Nigerians, were unemployed during that period. The data showed a significant drop by over two million.
NBS clarifies report
The ICIR had earlier reported that the Bureau disclosed another figure totally deviating from the unemployment statistics highlighted on the summary page of its report. On a separate page, it reported that 4.1 per cent, estimated to 8.2 million, are unemployed for the fourth quarter of 2022, while in Q1 2023, 3.3 per cent, which is 6.6m Nigerians are unemployed.
However, the bureau told The ICIR that the page reflected the proportion of the working-age population and not the unemployment rate.
Unemployment rate by NBS
153 million Nigerians are employed…
Based on the employment rate for Q1 2023, as highlighted by the Bureau, about 153 million Nigerians are employed. This shows that most people were engaged in some jobs for at least one hour in a week for pay or profit.
The data also show a significant increase to that of the fourth quarter of 2022 as 73.6 per cent of that age bracket work for at least one hour in a week.
The report also showed that about one-third of employed individuals, 36.4 per cent in Q4 2022 and 33.2 per cent in Q1 2023, worked fewer than 40 hours per week during both quarters. This trend was particularly prevalent among women, individuals with lower educational attainment, younger age groups, and residents of rural areas.
This marks a significant decrease in joblessness within the country compared to the from 2020.
In 2021, The ICIRreports that NBS in its report titled ‘Labour Force Statistics, Unemployment and Underemployment-Q4 2020,’ stated that 33.3 per cent of the current population of Nigeria is unemployed, meaning that one in three Nigerians was without a job.
According to the NBS, the 33.3 per cent is a 23 per cent increase from the 27.1 per cent rate recorded in the second quarter of 2020 (Q2) 2020.
Underemployment rate declined from 28.6 per cent in Q2 2020 to 22. 8 per cent in Q4 2020.
Although Nigeria has a huge population of young people between the age of 15-34 years, the data revealed that the unemployment rate within this age group rose to 42.5 per cent in Q4 of 2020, from 34.9 per cent in Q2 2020.
Underemployment for young Nigerians declined to 21.0 per cent in Q4 of 2020, from 28.2 per cent recorded in Q2 of 2020.
NBS data showed that during Q4 2020, 46.49 million Nigerians were with jobs, with 30.57 million fully employed and 15.915 million underemployed (working 20-29 hours per week).
Tinubu’s promise on job creation
Tinubu, had in different reports, promised to create meaningful opportunities for youths to reduce the unemployment rate in the country.
In his inaugural promises, he reiterated that his administration would create one million jobs through the digital economy for the teeming youths in Nigeria.
He said, “My administration must create meaningful opportunities for our youth. We shall honour our campaign commitment of one million new jobs in the digital economy,”
“My administration must create meaningful opportunities for our youth. We shall honour our campaign commitment of one million new jobs in the digital economy.
“Our government also shall work with the National Assembly to fashion an omnibus Jobs and Prosperity bill. This bill will give our administration the policy space to embark on labour-intensive infrastructural improvements, encourage light industry and provide improved social services for the poor, elderly and vulnerable.”
THE Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has dismissed an interlocutory appeal by the governor of Kano state, Abba Kabir Yusuf, seeking to nullify the ruling of the Kano governorship tribunal.
The presiding judge of the tribunal, Oluyemi Akintan Osadebay, on July 13, granted the All Progressives Congress (APC) leave to call a subpoenaed witness, Aminu Idris Harbau.
But in an appeal with reference number CA/KN/EP/GOV/KAN/05/2023, Yusuf argued that the judges of the Election Petition Tribunal erred in law when they granted the application of APC and sought its nullification.
The Court of Appeal, in its ruling on Thursday, August 24, affirmed the tribunal’s order, maintaining that it is allowed in Election Petitions to call subpoenaed witnesses and testify on issues related to the petition.
The Cout described Yusuf’s appeal as “frivolous, vexatious and deserve penalty of dismissal.”
The Kano election tribunal on Monday, August 21, reserved ruling on a petition filed by the All APC against the victory of Yusuf.
APC, through its lead lawyer, Offiong Offiong, is contesting the victory of Yusuf as the winner of the governorship election held on March 18.
Additionally, the APC claims that Yusuf’s name should have been added to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) membership registry thirty days before the election.
They requested that the tribunal uphold the APC petition and provide all requested reliefs.
According to the lead counsel for Yusuf, Adegboyega Awomolo, Yusuf is a legitimate member of the NNPP.
He added that it is not the APC’s business to decide whether someone is a NNPP member.
Awomolo requested that the tribunal dismiss the APC case since it was seen without merit.
After hearing from all the addresses, the three-judge panel, presided over by Osadebay, reserved a day for a ruling.
The judge added that all parties would be notified when the judgement would be ready.
The ICIRreported that the Kano State Police Command has banned all protests in the state with immediate effect.
The command, in a statement on Monday, August 21, signed by the Commissioner of Police (CP) Mohammad Usaini Gumel, said intelligence received by the command indicates that two dominant parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) have gathered a crowd to launch a protest.
The police added that information gathered indicated that some members of both political parties are pressuring Civil Society participants to make this choice purely out of concern for their safety and to get ahead of the election tribunal’s ruling.
THE Presidency has reacted to the barring of almost twenty-five journalists from covering activities at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
In a chat with The ICIR on Thursday, August 24, the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said the move was an internal attempt to reduce overcrowding across all departments of the State House.
He added that the reduction did not affect only the media department.
“This is an internal effort to reduce overcrowding across all departments of the State House, not only the Media department.
“The number of print photographers was bloated and reduced to ensure the efficient use of more than six remaining photographers, which does not include dozens of videographers still present, due to security concerns raised by State House officials and visiting dignitaries concerning the overcrowding of the press gallery area that blocks the walking path to the President’s Office,” Ngelale stated.
According to Ngelale, initial notice of the cutdown was made known to the entire Press Corps well ahead of time.
He added that 62 other Press corps members remain, including all major print, online, and electronic media houses.
There were reports over the weekend that President Bola Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of the accreditations of 25 journalists covering the Villa.
Findings by The ICIR indicate that security operatives stationed at the main gate of the Villa on Friday, August 18, told the affected journalists to submit their accreditation tags.
Further findings show no reason for withdrawing the journalists’ accreditations was given.
In a chat with The ICIR, one of the journalists covering the Villa who chose to remain anonymous confirmed the incident.
According to the source, the media personnel affected by the withdrawal were mainly online journalists and cameramen.
He confirmed that the press gallery at the state house is bloated, hence the need to reduce the numbers.
“Yes, I can confirm that about 25 journalists were stopped from covering the Villa.
“Most of those affected are from online media houses and cameramen. Most of the camera operators still have their reporters there.
“We have over 100 journalists covering the Villa and most of them do not represent any credible media house. Most mainstream media houses were not affected. We still have a large number there,” our source stated.
He confirmed that the incident happened on Friday.
According to reports, the affected journalists include reporters, cameramen, and photographers from various broadcast, print, and online media outlets.
The affected media outlets have been asked to rely on their colleagues for video clips and other news content.
While resuming as the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Ngelale promised to uphold a free exchange of information between the Presidential Villa and members of the press.
Ngelale gave the pledge on Tuesday, August 1, while speaking to the State House Press Corps members in Abuja.
Ngelale, appointed by President Tinubu in August, made a commitment to be more accessible than ever before in terms of granting information to radio networks, television networks, newspapers, and online news media.
Two people have died in a building collapse at Lagos Street in the Garki area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Thirty-five others were injured in the collapse and have been taken to hospitals around the area. The incident occurred at about 11.30 pm on Wednesday, August 23, according to Head of public Affairs, Nkechi Isah.
Minister of the FCT Nyesom Wike who arrived at the scene on Thursday, August 24, promised to foot the bills of those injured in the collapse.
“This is why cities are planned, to forestall this kind of incident. I sympathise with those who have lost their lives. The government will take over the bills of those who are alive. I want everybody to support those who are working here to make sure they get to the last level so that if there are people that are still there, God willing, we will save them,” Wike said.
He also noted that the area will be sealed and ordered the immediate arrest of the property owner.
“We must identify and arrest the owners of this property. It is very important, and the government will take over the area and make sure that no further development is carried out and I want all the stakeholders to work with the government.
“These are the things we have been saying. Nobody knows whose turn it will be and therefore, it is important that when the government says they will take actions on certain areas that we believe are illegal to build or buildings that don’t comply with the standard, it is not as if anybody has any personal vendetta,” Wike said.
Wike reacted after director, of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, said the building was an unplanned structure.
FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe was also at the scene of the building collapse on Thursday.
“Everybody should get proper documentation and approval for their buildings; this is an old building there was no approval. The agency should also have a process in which they go regularly to evaluate old buildings, we the people need to comply then the agencies will do their work,” she said.
There have been at least three other cases of building collapse within the FCT in 2023.
In February, a three-storey building had collapsed in Gwarimpa, resulting in at least three deaths.
Two workers died in Wuse 2 on April 19, after an adjacent fence fell on a building under construction, trapping six workers.
In July, a four-storey building collapsed at the Life Camp area of the FCT, trapping workers in it.
Despite meagre resources and economic woes, projects worth N1.3 billion were awarded to non-existent companies between 2019 and 2021 during the tenure of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola. The government flouted its noble promises of promoting competition, efficiency, and equal opportunities, as well as the laws and standards.
By Taiwo Fatola
AMIDST the bustling reception of the Osun Public Procurement Agency (PPA), located behind the Governor’s Office inside the state government secretariat, Osogbo, a commanding roll-up banner takes center stage, boldly displaying the state’s ‘governing rule on public procurement.’
Quoted with pride from Section 23(1)(b) of the Osun State Public Procurement Law 2015, the banner resounds with the promise of “Promotion of competition, economy, efficiency, and equal opportunities to all parties eligible and qualified to partake in public contracts.”
A noble principle etched in ink, but beneath the surface, an investigation into projects awarded during the administration of the immediate past governor, Gboyega Oyetola, between 2019 and 2021, unravels an unsettling truth. OSUN DEFENDER’s in-depth scrutiny of the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) portal on the state PPA website has unearthed a startling contradiction—a government that not only disregarded its sacred rules but veered from the very essence of fair public procurement.
The in-depth review showed non-compliance with neither the state public procurement law nor the public procurement manual. These crucial documents were intended to serve as beacons of transparency and accountability in the public procurement process for government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), but investigations show that they made awards to non-existent companies, among other alarming irregularities.
Osun State PPA
For instance, on 29th January 2020, the Osun State Ministry of Works and Transport awarded a contract for the rehabilitation and spot patching of the popular Okefia to Old Garage Road, Osogbo, to Jescon Tech Nig. Ltd at the cost of N3,256,697. The ministry adopted selective bidding for the contract. According to Chapter 7.2 of the procurement manual, for selective bidding, quotations must be obtained from at least three reputable contractors.
Further checks show that only Jescon Tech Nig. Ltd submitted a bid and was subsequently awarded the contract without any competition from other bidders. Findings show that Jescon Tech Nig. Ltd, has no discernible online presence. The company cannot be found through a search at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), which is the designated authority responsible for registering companies in the country and issuing certificates of business registration.
Moreover, Chapter 5 of the state procurement manual requires certified or notarized copies of essential documents, like business registration certificates, for eligibility to bid. Regrettably, these requirements were not followed.
Current State of the Old-Garage – Oke-Fia Road in Osogbo
Chapter 5 of the manual provides that “the eligibility criteria should be clearly stated in the bidding documents for each procurement. To ensure that these criteria are met, signed statements or documentary evidence may be requested to certify the eligibility.”
The document further listed certified or notarized copies of the bidder’s certificate of business registration, certificate of incorporation, business license or similar document and certified or notarized copies of the bidder’s tax registration, tax clearance certificates or similar document as some of the documentary evidence for eligibility.
Sensitive examination materials in the hands of unregistered contractor
In June and July 2021, the Osun State Examination Board awarded four contracts to another non-existent company. On June 9, 2021, a contract for the printing of 306,782 copies of assorted question papers was awarded to Adex Emma Success Global Resources at the cost of N10,353,960.
Osun State Examination Board Office
On June 30, 2021, Adex Emma Success Global Resources received two more contracts for printing 140,000 and 280,000 units of answer and continuation sheets respectively, costing N1.4m and N5.6m, respectively.
Similarly, on July 9, 2021, the Osun State Examination Board awarded Adex Emma Success Global Resources another contract for printing 125,502 continuation sheets. Notably, in all four contract awards, the selective tendering method was utilised, as observed in the case of the road rehabilitation contract awarded by the Ministry of Works and Transport.
Surprisingly, for all these contracts, Adex Emma Success Global Resources was the sole bidder, contrary to the requirement of at least three bidders, as outlined in the public procurement manual.
No trace of Adex Emma was found anywhere online. No website or social media handle related to the name was found. It is apparently not a registered entity as a search on the CAC portal and other online company directories including B2bhint and Ng-check, turned up nothing.
Duplicate contracts awarded to non-existent entities across multiple years
During the 2019 budget year, Osun State allocated funds for drilling boreholes in 332 primary health centres. However, what is worrying is that two separate procuring entities embarked on the same projects with different budget IDs and OCID IDs. The budget ID and OCID ID serve as unique identifiers for government projects on the OCDS portal, making this apparent duplication all the more alarming.
For example, the state Ministry of Health awarded the contracts for the ‘Drilling of 150 Nos of Boreholes with stanchion and overhead Tank in 150 selected Primary Health Care Centers across the State of Osun’ and ‘Drilling of 182 Nos of Boreholes with stanchion and overhead Tank in 182 selected Primary Health Care Centers across the State of Osun’ on 5th April 2019 and 23rd May 2019, respectively.
The contracts
Remarkably, both contracts were awarded to the same company, F. OTOT Nigeria Limited, indicating that the agency indulged in contract splitting. The OCID IDs for these projects are ocds-xwwr9a-000490-OS/HLT/02 and ocds-xwwr9a-000506-OS/HLT/02, respectively, with sharply differing Budget IDs – 000489 and 000505, respectively.
The reason behind splitting these projects into two remains unknown. However, the state procurement law in section 71(2)(f) expressly forbids and incriminates the act of splitting tender.
According to section 71(2)(f), “It shall be an offence to split tenders to enable the evasion of monetary benchmark set.”
The Ministry of Health used direct contracting for the projects, but it is unclear if drilling of boreholes across the state met the criteria for direct contracting in the state procurement law and manual. According to the public procurement manual direct contracting method can only be used under exceptional circumstances when the goods and services required are only available from a supplier or contractor, or when there is an urgent need for such goods or services.
Curiously, on July 7, 2020, another state agency, Osun Road Maintenance Agency (ORMA) awarded the same projects, with identical titles and budget sum (of N288,750,016 and N350,350,016 respectively), but different OCID IDs once again to the same company, F. OTOT Nigeria Limited. The agency used the selective tender method and, surprisingly, no other contractor submitted bids for the project apart from F. OTOT Nigeria Limited.
Details of the contracts awarded F. OTOT Nigeria Limited
The OCID IDs for the two projects, titled “Award of Contract for the Drilling of 150 Nos of Boreholes with stanchion and overhead Tank in 150 selected Primary Health Care Centre across the State of Osun” and “Award of Contract for the Drilling of 182 Nos of Boreholes with stanchion and overhead Tank in 182 selected Primary Health Care Centre across the State of Osun,” are ocds-xwwr9a-000954-OS/RMA/05 and ocds-xwwr9a-000976-OS/RMA/05, respectively.
These projects identities differ from the one awarded by the state Ministry of Health in 2019. The budget ID of the contracts facilitated by the Road Maintenance Agency are 000953 and 000975, respectively.
Findings by this newspaper showed that there is no trace of F. OTOT Nigeria Limited on the portal of the CAC or any other companies directory on the internet. However, a company with a similar name – F.OT OT Construction Services was found in the vendors list on the state public procurement website.
However, one Mr. Hamzat Adebayo, who identified himself as a director at F.OT OT Construction Services Company, said there was possible mismatch of identity. He said: “There must have been a mistake somewhere because government cannot award contract to an unregistered company.
“F.OT OT Construction Services Company was registered in 2013 and we have been using it to execute project. As of September 2022, we upgraded it to F.OT OT Construction Company Limited. But the contracts that were given to us were given to F.OT OT Construction services. We’re duly registered.
“Also, there must have been a mismatch because F.OT OT Construction Services Company did not receive any contract of borehole drilling from the Ministry of Works. Whoever is making an enquiry should get his or her information correct.
However, the reasons why an unregistered F. OTOT Nigeria Limited was awarded the contract could not be ascertained since F.OT OT Construction Services was also found on the state PPA website to have also bid for and won some award contracts.
Upon visiting primary health centres across Irepodun and Orolu Local Government Areas, it was evident that the boreholes were indeed installed. However, a significant number of them are not functioning. The installations were reportedly carried out around June 2020.
Among the non-functional boreholes is the one at Ehingbo PHC in Erin-Osun, Irepodun LGA. During a visit to the facility, a community health worker who identified herself as ‘Mrs Adepoju’, said that the borehole stopped working about a month after its construction in June 2020. As a result, staff and patients are compelled to search for water from outside the facility.
Similarly, at Bolorunduro PHC in Ifon-Osun, Orolu LGA, the borehole was also non-functional. It was revealed that a staff member at the PHC had personally funded the borehole’s repair, but the person has not been reimbursed for the expenses incurred.
Non-functional borehole at Bolorunduro PHC, Ifon
Olaniyan Akinwale, who works at the Bolorunduro PHC, expressed concern over the lack of water supply in the facility. He stressed that they have to contract someone to fetch water from outside the facility on a daily basis. Akinwale estimated that the health facility uses about 500 litres of water daily.
However, the borehole facilities at Araromi PHC in Ifon-Osun, Anwo PHC in Ilobu, Eleesi PHC in Ifon-Osun and Oke-Ila in Erin-Osun were functional at the time of the visit to these facilities.
Osun MDAs keep mum
After initial attempts to obtain reactions from the concerned MDAs failed, Freedom of Information (FOI) Act requests were submitted to them, but no official response has been received.
During a visit to the Ministry of Works and Transport, Bashir Bello, an engineer and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry attributed the delay in response to the FOI request to the need to obtain clearance from the Ministry of Justice before disclosing the information.
The Ministry of Works in a response signed by one M. A. Ojebode, an engineer, asked that the request for the information on the road project be directed to the state Ministry of Justice.
Similarly, in response to the request for information on the projects facilitated by her agency, the Registrar of the State Examination Board, Mrs. Bukola Akintola, directed that the information being sought should be directed to the Ministry of Justice.
Osun State is bound by the Nigerian Freedom of Information Act 2011, which states that if a public institution receives an application for access to information and believes that another public institution has greater interest in the information, it has a responsibility to transfer the application to that institution.
The referral to the justice ministry is curious as it has no interest in these projects. Also, Chapter 4.3(2) of the state public procurement manual states that the accounting officer of the concerned MDAs is responsible for ensuring compliance with the law and liable for breach or contravention of the law.
Zacchaeus Ategbero, an engineer and the General Manager of the Osun Road Maintenance Agency, claimed ignorance of the borehole projects despite evidence of his agency’s involvement on the PPA website. He promised an official response to the FOI request but has not replied as of the time of filing this report.
Similarly, at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Isiaka Adekunle, the permanent secretary, stated that clearance has been sought from the Ministry of Justice, and they are awaiting approval for the release of the information.
When reached for comment, Ismail Omipidan, the Chief Press Secretary to former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, questioned why the present government of the state is not being investigated, suggesting a potential witch-hunt against his principal.
He emphasised, “There is no such contract like rehabilitation of Oke-fia/Old Garage road. Kindly cross-check the information.”
Omipidan’s stance is founded on comments made by the then Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Jamiu Olawumi, affirming that the awarded contracts for printing examination papers followed the procurement law, and all processes were meticulously adhered to in their allocation. Olawumi’s response was in respect of a report by Dataphyte on the violation of the state public procurement laws in the award of some contracts by the Osun State Examination Board.
Despite the evidence presented by the medium, the Special Adviser to the former governor maintained that due process was followed without providing any concrete proof to back his assertions. However, a look at the Dataphyte’s story shows that the investigated contracts are different from the ones investigated in this report.
“I do not think we have anything new to add on that,” Omipidan stated.
“We don’t have power to do anything aside exposing issues like this”
Anthony Adejuwon, the Team Lead of Urban Alert, a Civic-tech initiative aimed at holding public institutions accountable, domiciled in the state, expressed his regret over the award of contracts to non-registered companies by the state government he added that his organisation has discovered such issues in the past but nothing was done to those indicted till date.
“It is saddening that in flagrant disregard for its own law, the Osun State Government seems to have institutionalised impunity in awarding contracts. This act can be identified as one of the reasons why projects are poorly executed, leading to lack of value for money. More painful is the perceived unwillingness of public institutions to address this corrupt practice that has further impoverished the people of Osun,” Adejuwon stated in a chat with this reporter.
He added that if the procurement law is not strictly adhered to, public funds will continue to stray into pockets of individuals who cannot deliver quality and timely projects.
“With some journalists in the past, we have discovered this impunity and published them on many news platforms. Nothing was done till date. As an organisation, we don’t have the power to do anything aside from exposing issues like this,” Adejuwon concluded.
This report is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).
The project aims to strengthen the capacity of the media to promote transparency, accountability and good governance in Nigeria, particularly in the Northwest and is supported by the United States (U.S) Embassy in Abuja under their “Public Diplomacy Small Grants Programme”.
Additionally, the project is set to allow Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to advocate with journalists in order to enable them to share information, data, and intelligence, which can be the basis for accountability and transparency reporting that both parties will work on in Northwest Nigeria.
File: Journalist
The project also aims to boost capabilities and offer financial backing to chosen journalists collaborating. The focus will be on producing investigative and data-driven articles addressing transparency and accountability concerns in the North West region of Nigeria.
The centre plans to enhance its ongoing efforts for open contracting and procurement by empowering journalists and CSOs. This empowerment involves strengthening their abilities in real-time investigative reporting to ensure accountability and transparency, thereby keeping the government responsible.
A total of 20 journalists have been selected across the Northwest states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa and Zamfara from print, electronic and digital media. The list of successful candidates and their respective organisations are as follows:
S/N
NAME
ORGANISATION
1.
Musa Rabiu
HotPen Media
2.
Idris Kamal Ibrahim
WikkiTimes
3.
Abdulwaheed Sofiullahi
Freelancer
4.
A’isha Ahmad Isma’il
AllnewsNG
5.
Mohammed Bawa Abduljalil
Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Birnin kebbi
6.
Ahmad Shereefdeen
The News Digest Press
7.
Abdulrasheed Hammad
Freelancer
8.
Bello Bahara Hafsat
Premier Radio
9.
Adamu Ibrahim
New Nigerian Newspaper
10.
Sardauna Francis
ThisDay Newspapers
11.
Annagu Francis
The Nigerian Voice
12.
Muhammad Abubakar Tahir
Blueprint Manhaja Newspaper
13.
Suleiman Shafa’atu
RMTimes Newspaper
14.
Aminu Alhussaini
Vision FM Sokoto 92.5
15.
Ekwenugo Nonye Juliet
Leadership Newspaper
16.
Bello Abdulrazak Kaura
Radio Nigeria (Pride FM Gusau)
17.
Saidu Khadijat
The Nation Newspaper (Vintage Press Limited)
18.
Andrew Sabatu Machika
Kebbi Broadcasting Corporation
19.
Usman Salihu Danjuma Zulaiha
Kano Focus Newspaper
20.
Adamu Mustapha Yauri
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Table showing names of successful candidates
Note:The list was updated to remove Shehu Muhammed Shehu and Adamu Sadiq while adding Andrew Sabatu Machika and Sardauna Francis.
![[UPDATE] We must arrest owners of Abuja collapsed building- Wike](https://www.icirnigeria.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Building-collapse-768x432.jpeg "[UPDATE] We must arrest owners of Abuja collapsed building- Wike")
