Ekiti State has come under scrutiny for awarding N1.2 billion in contracts to high-ranking officials, including permanent secretaries and heads of government agencies, raising concerns about potential breaches of the state’s procurement laws. The Ekiti State Bureau of Public Procurement mandates that contract awards follow open competitive bidding, with specific provisions for restricted bidding. However, there is no allowance in the law for awarding contracts to high-ranking officials.A recent review of Ekiti State’s open contracting portal revealed that between July and August 2024, several contracts were awarded to high-ranking officials in violation of these rules. Notable examples include:- A N281.7 million contract for internal electrification and transformer installation at Ekiti State cargo airport was awarded to a permanent secretary.- A N46.5 million contract for repairing and installing transformers was given to the General Manager of the Ekiti State Electricity Board.- A N204.8 million contract for upgrading a transformer was also awarded to the General Manager of the Ekiti State Electricity Board.- Additional contracts included a N72 million project for extending an electrical network to INEC office, and various other projects totaling over N1 billion awarded to permanent secretaries.Advocacy groups, including Kachi Chukwu from the Public and Private Development Centre, have criticized these actions as a breach of the law. Chukwu pointed out that while some states may use direct labor for such contracts, this does not justify bypassing open bidding processes. Segun Elemo from the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative also condemned the practice, suggesting it indicates a potential for corruption.The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has highlighted that open contracting corruption constitutes a significant portion of corruption cases in Nigeria.In response, Ekiti State’s information commissioner, Taiwo Olatunbosun, defended the practice, arguing that contracts awarded to permanent secretaries and agency heads are part of direct labor agreements and comply with state procurement laws. He claimed that these officials, due to their roles, are suited to oversee such projects effectively.This situation underscores a significant debate over procurement practices and transparency in Ekiti State.Ekiti State has come under scrutiny for awarding N1.2 billion in contracts to high-ranking officials, including permanent secretaries and heads of government agencies, raising concerns about potential breaches of the state’s procurement laws. The Ekiti State Bureau of Public Procurement mandates that contract awards follow open competitive bidding, with specific provisions for restricted bidding. However, there is no allowance in the law for awarding contracts to high-ranking officials.A recent review of Ekiti State’s open contracting portal revealed that between July and August 2024, several contracts were awarded to high-ranking officials in violation of these rules. Notable examples include:- A N281.7 million contract for internal electrification and transformer installation at Ekiti State cargo airport was awarded to a permanent secretary.- A N46.5 million contract for repairing and installing transformers was given to the General Manager of the Ekiti State Electricity Board.- A N204.8 million contract for upgrading a transformer was also awarded to the General Manager of the Ekiti State Electricity Board.- Additional contracts included a N72 million project for extending an electrical network to INEC office, and various other projects totaling over N1 billion awarded to permanent secretaries.Advocacy groups, including Kachi Chukwu from the Public and Private Development Centre, have criticized these actions as a breach of the law. Chukwu pointed out that while some states may use direct labor for such contracts, this does not justify bypassing open bidding processes. Segun Elemo from the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative also condemned the practice, suggesting it indicates a potential for corruption.The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has highlighted that open contracting corruption constitutes a significant portion of corruption cases in Nigeria.In response, Ekiti State’s information commissioner, Taiwo Olatunbosun, defended the practice, arguing that contracts awarded to permanent secretaries and agency heads are part of direct labor agreements and comply with state procurement laws. He claimed that these officials, due to their roles, are suited to oversee such projects effectively.This situation underscores a significant debate over procurement practices and transparency in Ekiti State.
