SUBEB Projects: Nasarawa Assembly invites MD/CEO of Access Bank over contract breach
Nasarawa State House of Assembly has invited the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank PLC, to come and explain to the House in detail why the payments to contractors handling SUBEB projects in the state are not paid.
The Chairman House Committee on Education, Hon. Daniel Ogazi, stated this when the management of Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board appeared for its 2021 budget assessment in Lafia.
Hon. Ogazi, who is the Deputy Majority Leader of the House, lamented that the House is worried about the number of petitions it is receiving from contractors handling SUBEB projects in the state over nonpayment of their money.
“After many of them have completed their work with others reaching various stages of completion yet they have not been paid.
“Many of the contractors collected loans, some collected personal loans from individuals which they are to pay back 20% interest monthly aside the increased cost of construction materials in the market on daily basis.
“The bank action has put the state in bad image before the world.
“It is on this note that we are inviting the MD/CEO of Access Bank to appear before the House on Wednesday 8, 2021 to explain to us in detail what is happening with the state money in their custody,”
“We have paid our counterpart funds as a state. The money has been lodged in the bank why are they keeping it unnecessarily subjecting the state and contractors to hardship, leaving our school structures in bad shapes, and now the rain is destroying them” Ogazi queried.
He called on contractors to be patient as the House sets out to protect their interest and money.
School proliferation
Meanwhile, the state SUBEB chairman, Mohammed Dan’azumi explained in detail the budget performance of the board and its challenges especially the nonpayment of contractors by Access Bank.
He said the Governor had earlier intervened on the matter after which the bank released about N500million and stopped.
Other matters brought before the House was the proliferation of private schools in the state. The House Committee on Education therefore called on the State Ministry of Education to as a matter of urgency do something to ensure that it addresses the ugly trend.
Chairman of the committee, Daniel Ogazi stated this when the permanent secretary of the ministry, Mohammed Bala appeared before the committee for budget assessment.
Emmanuel Ukoh
