Regina Otokpa The Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative (EUYI) has alleged the existence of contract racketeers at the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), adding that procurement processes at UBEC were shrouded in complete secrecy against extant laws on procurement transparency.
The National Coordinator of the group Danesi Momoh while addressing newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, claimed there was a well-organised cartel at UBEC using contracts and promises of contracts to fleece unsuspecting businessmen and women.
While also alleging that contracts were being shared among interests in the commission, the group further claimed that the contracts were later being sold to those who have the actual capacity to execute them adding whatever was done in the name of bidding was pure deceit.
According to the group, they showed particular interest in the matter because of the direct nexus between the sabotage of national aspirations in access to quality education and unemployment, poverty and misery.
He said: “The contracts are highly inflated such that the original awardee; illegal money lenders within the commission; and buyers of the contracts are able to make huge profits in one contract chain.
“That there is a system of contract scam in which unsuspecting contractors are made to obtain loans with very high interests from procurement officers with a promise to award some contracts to them, which in some cases, are never awarded.
“That some procurement officers are materials suppliers who decide the quality and price because failure to patronise them will lead to the disqualification of the contractor’s job.”
