A group, Citizen Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vises (CAACASVI), has petitioned the Chairman, Senate Committee on National Population Commission, Senator Sen. Ya’u Sahabi, to investigate the alleged corrupt and unfair practices in the award of the contract to supply Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) for use during the forthcoming National Population and Housing Census in Nigeria.
CAACASVI in a letter dated 22nd March, 2022, and addressed to the Chairman Senate Committee on National Population Commission, alleged that the contract was awarded to a company “without complete technical document as required by law”.
The group in the letter signed by its Executive Director, Olumuyiwa Onlede, and Director Communication and Strategy, Haruna Abdussalan, said the contract was awarded without due process for “personal gain”.
It regretted that the National Population Commission (NPC) deviated from the “original committee plan” of awarding the contract to multiple organizations across six geopolitical zones and awarded it to a single company.
It also pointed out that the quantity of PDA device was singlehandedly jacked up by the Chairman from the initial 500 thousand pieces advertised to 800 thousand which would amount to over One Hundred Billion Naira (N100bn). task payers money
CAACASVI warned that it is dangerous to allow a single company to execute a contract as sensitive as this in a nation as massive and populated as Nigeria as the country will be “at the mercy of one organization during the National Population and Housing Census especially when the PDA’s require specialized attention”.
It, therefore, urged the Chairman Senate Committee on National Population Commission, to conduct an investigation, inquest or inquiry on the contract award, reverse the award should investigation reveal that the award process was marred with irregularity, corruption, cronyism, favoritism and nepotism and allow due process to be followed.
The letter reads: “We will like to bring it to your attention that the contract to supply Personal Digital Assistant (“PDA”) for use during the forthcoming National Population and Housing Census across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones has been unfairly, and without due process; awarded to a company without complete technical document as required by law, this we believe is for personal gain and on the back of cronyism.
“At the beginning of the process when National Population Commission invited interested bidders to submit expression of interest for the contract, it was a common knowledge that the contract was too big for just one company to execute and NPC board and management agreed that NPC shall award it to multiple organizations across six geopolitical zones.
“This is to assure due process, inclusivity, efficiency, flawless execution, competition, avoid favoritism, nepotism, unfair practices and corruption during the award process.
“But to our greatest dismay, the quantity of PDA device was singlehandedly jacked up by the Chairman from the initial 500 thousand pieces advertised to 800 thousand while contract amount was also jacked up and awarded to a single company, thereby deviating from original committee plan.
“The danger of allowing one company to execute a contract as sensitive as this is that a nation as massive and populated as ours will be at the mercy of one organization during the National Population and Housing Census especially when the PDA’s require specialized attention. Also, a few members of the committee responsible for the award will unlawfully profit on the back of cronyism at the expense of the nation.
“This is to bring it to your attention that a few members of the committee responsible for the contract award have unlawfully, unilaterally, without consultations and due process:
“(a) abused their office;
(b) fraudulently, unilaterally and without due process awarded the contract to Zinox Technologies Limited with the unfortunate intention to receive kick-backs and profit from the contract execution;
(c) manipulate National Population and Housing Census in consequence of their implied and 3rd party monopoly and control over the PDA’s;
(d) attempted to defraud the nation;
(e) deviated from NPC’s plan to award the contract to as many organizations as possible so as to eliminate bigotry, favoritism and nepotism;
(f) engaged in corrupt practices in consequence of the award of the contract to a crony.
“The award of the contract to one organization is unacceptable, unfair to the nation and to every organization that displayed their competence during the bidding process.
“We hereby implore you to use your good office to conduct an investigation, inquest or inquiry on the contract award, reverse the award should your investigation reveal that the award process was marred with irregularity, corruption, cronyism, favoritism and nepotism and allow due process to be followed. Order relevant anti graft agencies to punish any official of National Population Commission found wanting in the alleged corrupt practices.”
