Lagos Deputy Governor Dispels N2 Billion Procurement Fiasco

The Office of the Lagos State Deputy Governor has vehemently refuted reports suggesting that it received N2 billion for the supply of fans, rechargeable lights, and fridges. Contrary to the online claims, the office clarified that the approved amount for the mentioned items was only N2 million. The controversy arose from a leaked internal memo dated November 20, addressed to the Director General of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency.

Online reports had alleged that Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Hamzat received N2 billion for the procurement of fans, rechargeable lights, and fridges, while his wife purportedly obtained N30 million monthly for outreach to indigent Lagosians. The leaked internal memo from the deputy governor’s office dismissed these claims, describing them as a total misrepresentation of facts.

The memo, signed by Director of Finance and Account Tola Ekemode on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the office of the deputy governor, urged the Procurement Agency to take swift action in addressing the issue by providing the general public with an accurate account of what was approved for the Office of the Deputy Governor.

The memo clarified that the online report was untrue, mischievous, fake, and unfounded. It emphasized that the reported figures did not align with the actual records maintained by the deputy governor’s office. The approved amount for the procurement of items such as rechargeable fans, lights, and fridges was N2,017,840, significantly lower than the alleged N2 billion.

The office expressed its commitment to setting the record straight and not allowing misinformation to tarnish the reputation of the Deputy Governor, his wife, and the office. It highlighted the need for accuracy in reporting and urged individuals and journalists to refrain from spreading baseless claims without verification.

Furthermore, the memo clarified that the reported monthly expenditure of N30 million for outreach to indigents by the Wife of the Deputy Governor covered the entire year and not a monthly occurrence. The accurate figure was stated to be N2,500,000 per month. Similarly, the reported monthly empowerment program expenditure of N30 million was corrected to N2,500,000 per month.

In conclusion, the memo expressed the Deputy Governor’s displeasure with the misinformation and called on the Procurement Agency to rectify the public’s understanding of the situation by providing the true facts. It also urged caution among staff to avoid the dissemination of unfounded stories without credible basis.

Source: PM News