The Osun State tate Government has denied a biased and unfounded report from an online news platform, alleging that the state government awarded a contract to a company untraceable on the website of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Reacting to the report, the Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi berated the online platform for its jaundiced and one sided report which from all intent and purposes are designed to tarnish the image of the State Government.
While affirming that all contracted companies are duly registered with the CAC, the Commissioner further declared that no serving public official is a owner or director of any of the companies handling the state projects
“There is no truth in all the conjectures put together by the writer. All awarded contracts followed due process and in accordance with all procurement laws and processes.”
“In particular, A’skorj Nigeria Limited which was awarded the contract for the construction of 7 span bridge at Oke Fia intersection, Osogbo, is duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and was awarded the contract, having satisfied all the requirements and being the most qualified after the bidding process”, he disclosed.
“The certificate of registration for the company as filed with the Ministry of Works during the bidding process is numbered 1160780. We attached a copy of the registration certificate to this release.
“On the alleged award of contract for the construction of 4 span bridge across Osun river and dual 2 span bridge to the company of the deputy speaker; Raregeode Company Limited, the Commissioner explained that the Deputy Speaker was not a director of the company as at the time of the bidding process. Records showed he resigned from the company in March 2023 after his electoral victory.
“No family member of the Deputy Speaker or the Deputy Speaker himself was involved in any way in the contractual process. In fact, the Deputy Speaker has resigned from the company since he won his election last year.
“The company was selected after a thorough bidding process with respect to all procurement laws and due process. A thorough check with the CAC will confirm that Mr Ireyode was no longer a director in the company
“We believe the fake news from an otherwise reputable platform in need of enforcement of professionalism is the handiwork of the opposition party who are already jittery and worried by the success of several ongoing infrastructure projects across the state. The multi-billion naira infra projects are being implemented with all seriousness and in compliance with procurement and other extant laws.
“We want to reiterate that no amount of distraction and propaganda can stop the government in delivering these projects in allotted time.
“We assure members of the public that there is no smoking gun or any form of favoritism or corruption in awarding contracts by this administration. There is strict adherence to procurement laws and due process”, he concluded.