Firm accuses Oko Poly of withholding N9.8m contract money

A firm, Special Events and Consult Services Limited has decried the non-payment for a contract duly executed for the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State since May 2024 for no justified reason.

The firm accused the acting Rector of the institution, Dr Ubaka, Chukwugekwu Eugene, of blocking the payment despite certification of contract execution by the institution, amounting to over N9.8 million.

Document obtained by the South-East PUNCH correspondent showed that the Federal Polytechnic, Oko awarded the contract to plant coconut trees, palm trees, and other economic trees in the polytechnic premises to Special Events and Consult Services Limited on May 14, 2024.

The terms and conditions attached to the contract were clearly stated in a contract letter addressed to the Managing Director of Special Events and Consult Services Limited, with Ref: FPO/BUDGET/WORKS/24/VOL.1/009, and signed by the former Rector, Francisca Unuoma Nwafulugo and Bursar, Udu Stephen O.

The contract letter unequivocally stated that “on satisfactory completion of the work, you shall be paid a total sum of Nine Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N9,800,000.00) as fee for the job. The amount includes Value Added Tax, With-Holding Tax, and Stamp Duty.”

It further added that the amount covers “1,000 seedlings of palm trees; 1,000 Malaysian super green; and 1,000 improved seedlings of varieties of crops (including orange, guava, mangoes, and avocado pear).

The letter further stated, “Please note that a Certificate of Job Completion shall be issued to you by the Director of Works Services before payment will be effected.”

Lamenting the development, the chairman of Special Events and Consult Services Limited, Amb Cletus Amaraegbu, told our correspondent that those who supplied them with seedlings are now threatening to drag them to court should they fail to pay by the end of November.

Though the contract was awarded and executed under the leadership of the immediate past Rector, Amaraegbu said that before payment could be made he was removed as the Rector, even though he had signed approval for the payment.

Amaraegbu explained that the former Rector had authorized the payment and directed the Bursar to effect the directive, but we didn’t know the reason why it wasn’t paid until the new Rector came.

He said, “The Bursar constantly told us that there’s no money. That it will be paid tomorrow, Monday, next week and all that until the new acting Rector is appointed. Now the new Rector is questioning why his predecessor didn’t pay the money. Now he doesn’t even take our calls. He has even refused us to come and manure the trees so that if they die he will have justification for not paying for the contract.”

Meanwhile, he stated that sequel to their letter requesting payment upon completion of the contract, the Polytechnic on June 13, provided his firm with a certificate of completion.

He lamented, “We signed a contract of N10 million with the former Rector for his ‘Operation Go Green Project’ in Federal Polytechnic Oko.

“We contacted the Agricultural Development Project, Awka which supplied the seedlings and the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, was able to send the Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Agriculture to flag it off.

“The project contract states that payment would be made as soon as the contract is completed and the Certificate of Completion issued. The contract has been completed and Certificate of Completion issued to us and the Rector has instructed the Bursar to pay.

“Before the payment was effected, the Rector was removed and another Rector was appointed. The new Rector is asking why the former Rector did not pay the money. The project wasn’t a personal project for the former Rector. It is the institution’s project. It was executed at the permanent site and is there for everyone to see. Even if the money was not paid before the former Rector was removed, the government is a continuum.

“Now, the Agricultural Project in Anambra, (Awka) which supplied us the coconut seedlings has arrested the person that supplied the seedlings and detained him, threatening to take him to court if they didn’t pay at the end of November.

“The problem now is that the young man in Awka who supplied the seedlings is still being detained up till now.”

Meanwhile, the firm has written to the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Chief Barnabas Gemade, seeking the intervention of the Governing Board.

The letter partly read: “Sir, I humbly wish to bring to your notice the lingering non-payment of a project commissioned and executed by Special Events and Consult Services Limited at Federal Polytechnic, Oko permanent site.

“The project which was all about the planting of palm tree seedlings, Malaysian super green coconut seedlings, and improved seedlings of varieties of orange, guava, mangoes and avocado pear was approved for our company to carry out on 14th May 2024 by the management of Federal Polytechnic, Oko. Its complete execution was affirmed by the Institution’s management on 8th June 2024, and a Certificate of Job Completion was issued to our company with a letter for immediate payment.

“Sir, it is so saddening that up till now, this payment has not been made to our company and every effort to ascertain the reason(s) has proven abortive as the institution’s leadership is showing serious unwillingness to pay for the completed project.

“Our plight on this project is increasing daily as our seedlings donors, Agricultural Development Project, Anambra State and Imo State are threatening to take our company to court for a breach of contract.

“We are therefore appealing to you to look into this matter and intervene accordingly.”

Meanwhile, when contacted for a reaction, the Rector, Dr Eugene, after listening to our correspondent’s request for clarification declined to comment.

He had since refused to respond to text messages sent to him.