A Nigeria-based civil society organisation, Probitas has demanded a comprehensive probe of the 17 billion naira ($5m) contract for the tracking and monitoring of Nigeria’s fuel consumption.
According to a statement by Amaka Nwankwo, Communications Director of the organisation , this contract, recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) under the chairmanship of Vice-President Professor Yemi Osinbajo did not meet basic global transparency standards.
The statement said in awarding such a massive contract, the Petroleum Ministry and the Federal Government of Nigeria did not demonstrate a commitment to fiscal responsibility, probity and transparency.
Therefore, the group said government and the ministry must disclose to the Nigerian citizenry: Was this contract properly advertised and was there a level playing field for all bidders? Has this kind of project been successfully executed in any other country in the world? What is the name of the tracking software? What is the name of the company that designed and produced this software? Why didn’t the Bureau of Public Procurement publish details of this contract on its website bpp.gov.ng? If such a software product really exists, what is its success rate?
“The approval of this contract is part of a growing trend of massive federal contracts whose details are shrouded in secrecy as the country approaches an election year,” the statement said.
“The federal government, in the interest of transparency, must provide all the relevant details regarding this contract or suspend it indefinitely.”
