How Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo’s Company Received N438 Million ‘Consultancy Fees’ from Suspended Minister Betta Edu
In a shocking revelation, it has been uncovered that a company owned by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, received a substantial sum of N438.1 million from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, headed by the now-suspended Minister Betta Edu.
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The payment was purportedly made for consultancy services related to the National Social Register contract, part of the government’s cash transfer and social investment programs.
The company in question, New Planet Project Limited, was among several consultants awarded contracts from a pool of N3 billion allocated by the suspended minister for the National Social Register initiative.
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Documents revealed that Tunji-Ojo’s company initially received N279 million for the verification of the list and an additional N159 million for the same purpose.
Independent checks disclosed that the firm lists the interior minister and his wife, Abimbola, as directors, with Gbadamasi Gbadamasi Clement as the company secretary. The company was registered on March 3, 2009, with registration number 804833.
However, this financial transaction appears to contravene the Nigerian Constitution and Code of Conduct law, specifically sections 5 and 6, which prohibit public officers from engaging in positions of conflict of interest or participating in businesses other than farming.
Other entities benefiting from the N3 billion contract include Fabunmi Olanipekun & Co. (N419.5 million), Vintsolve Global Consult (N558.8 million), Periscope Consulting (N277 million), Blue Trend Enterprise (N277.8 million), Laitop Dynamics Interlink Services (N277 million), Memak Nigeria Limited (N277 million), MC Van Management Consult Limited (N275.8 million), and Danzinger Nigeria Limited (N275.8 million).
Alarming discrepancies arise as some of these companies lack proper registration records, raising questions about transparency and due diligence in the awarding of contracts. For instance, Blue Trend Enterprise has no identifiable owner or registration record.
Despite claims by all contractors that they verified 11 million homes in Nigeria within a month, skepticism surrounds the efficiency and accuracy of such operations.
Sources suggest that Tunji-Ojo might have secured the contract through his former aide, Thalis Apalowo, who served as a legislative aide while Tunji-Ojo represented Akoko North Federal constituency at the National Assembly. Apalowo, now the coordinator of the National Programme Manager, Grant For Vulnerable Groups, is believed to have played a crucial role in lobbying for Tunji-Ojo’s appointment.
This revelation comes in the wake of Edu’s alleged involvement in approving public funds to be disbursed into a private account and the subsequent suspension by President Bola Tinubu, who has ordered a thorough investigation into the financial activities of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
As the details of these financial irregularities unfold, there is an urgent call for accountability, transparency, and adherence to ethical standards within government agencies to restore public trust and confidence in the administration.
By Jackson Ude, Editor, Pointblank News.
