Anti-corruption activist and founder of Connected Development, Hamzat Lawal, has expressed concern over the ongoing issue of contract fraud within Nigeria’s Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
His remarks come after the Auditor-General of Nigeria, Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira, released a report on November 24th revealing over ₦197.72 billion in irregular contract payments across various MDAs. The findings, which cover the period between 2020 and 2021, highlight significant concerns regarding the country’s contract management.
Hamzat pointed out that the Procurement Act clearly mandates that contracts must be publicly advertised in national dailies, with a specified timeline, and awarded through a competitive process.
However, the report uncovered that many of these contracts were either never executed, not published, or had projects that were abandoned, with payments being made from the federation account.
On how to ensure accountability, Hamzat emphasized the role of anti-corruption agencies. “We have anti-corruption agencies, and it’s not the time for them to wait for citizens to file petitions,” he said. “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), by its legal authority, can directly request the Auditor-General’s report and begin investigating the findings.”
He called for a proactive approach, urging the EFCC to scrutinize the report, invite or even arrest those responsible, and begin prosecuting the offenders.
