Fayemi Led Govt Terminated 71 Contracts, Reviewed 55 Others – Witness
A witness, Mr. Adedayo Ajobiewe, has told the Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing the management of the Ekiti State funds during the era of Dr. Kayode Fayemi that more than 71 contracts awarded by the Fayemi led government were terminated between October 2010 and October, 2014 , while 55 were reviewed.
The panel was set up to investigate allocations that accrued to the state and how same was spent on projects during the four-year tenure of the immediate past Governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi.
Ajobiewe, who is the Director of Cabinet Matters in the Cabinet and Special Services Department of the Governor’s Office, disclosed that a total of 55 contracts were either varied or reviewed within the period.
The witness, who was led in evidence by the counsel to the panel, Mr. Sunday Bamise, tendered a total of 12 exhibits which were admitted in evidence. He said contracts could be terminated for various reasons depending on the circumstances in which they were executed.
Ajobiewe told the panel that between the period under review, the State Tenders Board approved 1035 briefs which include 909 contracts with 71 of them terminated and 55 varied or reviewed.
According to him, “There are some reasons for terminating contracts; it may be because the contractor did a shoddy job and a contract can be terminated if a contractor abandons the project.
“If this happens, joint measurement will be carried out by the representatives of the contractors, Bureau of Public Projects and the Client Ministries.
“Our office only approves and when joint measurement is done, legal advice will be sought from the Ministry of Justice. My office plays no role in the variation of contracts; State Tenders Board approves variations done by Client Ministries.”
The Chairman, Justice Silas Oyewole, disclosed that the panel, as part of its brief, will conduct a fact-finding visit to projects executed during the Fayemi administration on Thursday.
Oyewole urged all parties and their counsel to be part of the project inspection tour, which he said will commence at 12 noon.
