Who Needs a Consultant to Clear Grass?
It was Malcom X, the Black American activist who once asked: “Why do otherwise wise men become foolish when they join government?” I have followed, with good interest, the grass cutting saga involving the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr David Babachir Lawal. The latest exposé on it is the final report of the senate ad hoc committee which investigated the humanitarian crisis in the north east. If Nigerians were shocked that the sum of N270 million was used to clear grass in a certain IDP camp in Yobe State, they are now perplexed hearing now that indeed, the sum of N450 million was paid into the Eco Bank account of Lawal’s Rholavision Engineering Ltd, by five different companies which got grass cutting contracts from the suspended SGF.
What’s more, N200 million had to be separately paid to Lawal’s company, Rholavision Engineering Ltd, as consultancy fee for the grass cutting contract. Yes, N200 million! And I ask: what kind of consultancy service does a grass cutter need? Is it to teach and guide the grass cutter on how to position the blade of the mower? I scarcely can understand why a grass cutter needs a consultant.
It was further revealed that Josmon Technologies, which got the first grass cutting contract, eventually got another one. And that between March 29, 2016 and April 20, 2016, Josmon Technologies transferred the sum of N317 million to Rholavision Engineering (Lawal’s company) after clinching grass cutting contracts worth N530.6 million.
Whoever knew that grasscutting is even more lucrative than oil and gas exploration!
The only thing that probably explains the oddity of this contract bureaucracy is that there is intent to defraud the federal government.
It is remarkable that Mr Lawal, an engineer, again shunned the invitation of the senate committee to come defend himself, before the final report was written. I therefore cannot wait to hear what Lawal’s defence will be on the greasy details of the grass cutting scandal.
It is also stunning to see the figure of N18 million transferred to Rholavision bank account by Messrs Adamawa Boreholes Ltd after collecting contract of N54.8 million said to have been used to “renovate” seven classrooms in Yeskule Girls Secondary School, Michika, in Adamawa State. Gosh! If that much can be used to RENOVATE seven classrooms, how much will be required to build a new school altogether?
Yet one JMT Global Technology Ltd was also said to have kicked-back the sum of N30 million (from its Zenith Bank account number 114357188) to Rholavision Eng Ltd, for the “rehabilitation/renovation” of Adamawa at the cost of N199.4 million.
Yet again, another company which got a contract of N145 million, transferred N71 million to Rholavision account and also transferred another N13 million to Lawal’s private account at Diamond Bank (account number 0003004417).
One thing clear from all these kick-backs is that the Due Process office is not working. Is it not clear that the contracts are so mindlessly over-inflated? Or else how and where will those contractors find as much as they refunded to Lawal and his company?
And that is one bane of government. Money enough to do seven kilometers of road is often used to do just one, that is if the one kilometer gets done at all.
And just as an aside, why is there no federal character applied to the beneficiaries of government contracts? How come no company from the south got any of the Lawal’s bonanza, sorry, contract? At least in Dasuki’s “ATM regime”, it was spread round the entire country.
Did you notice that while just N2 million was spent on the welfare (food and clothing) of the IDPs, N200 million was spent on grass cutting consultancy? Pray, which one is more important to the dying IDPs: a grass-free surrounding or food? Did we not hear that many of the IDP children were dying out of hunger and malnutrition? Yet a man called David (!) chose to consult on grass cutting for the hungry, not offering them food and water.
The Senator Shehu Sani-led committee had revealed further that apart from the sordid grass cutting deal, Lawal had used his office to commit several breaches, using his 13 bank accounts to run the deals. We must thank the “technology” of Bank Verification Number (BVN) for unearthing the owners of those 13 bank accounts.
I am sure that a little more forensic audit of the activities of Mr Lawal while in office would reveal a few more abuses.
The alleged despicable acts of Lawal puts a huge question on the choices President Muhammadu Buhari made in constituting the members of his government. As Shakespeare puts it, “No man’s construction can be found on his face…” Nobody expected him to pick angels, because there are none among humans, but hey, not one with such odious tendencies, especially for a government that made the fight against corruption a cardinal prism. Was it that Lawal has been so clever all along to shield his fraudulent tendency from Buhari while they remained friends? Or was it Buhari that was just care-free?
Was it the office that corrupted Lawal or was he patently and fundamentally corrupt before he was appointed? Ordinarily, one would have thought that the first set of appointees of Buhari (which included Lawal) will or should be people of unimpeachable character.
It is perhaps true that President Buhari is a loner in the much-talked about fight against corruption.
If the allegations against Lawal are established, it would have proven that indeed, there is a Judas among every twelve. Worse still, many Nigerians believe that there is a Lawal in almost all government officials; many of whom are seeking the slightest opportunity to undo government for their own selfish benefits. So, how many Lawals are yet lounging around in government offices and cabinets? Will their day ever come?
With the likes of Lawal permeating every sector of the economy—private and public, it is not difficult to understand why Nigeria is still where it is. With just one fellow netting over N500 million from one government project (PINE), how can a nation grow and develop?
Those who have spoken eloquently about the strengthening of institutions will now begin to understand that such so-called institutions are also prone to insider abuses, implying therefore that the human element in every institution cannot be discounted or ignored. Put differently, the institutions do not exist in a vacuum. They are as virile and strong-willed as the human operators allow them to be. How else can an institution be, if not the very engine room of government: the secretariat of the federal government! But a cankerworm gets into such an institution and begins to disable the very system it is meant to build and protect.
Nigerians are awaiting the report of the Prof Yemi Osinbajo-led committee which investigated the allegations leveled against Lawal, leading to his suspension.
What the government does or fails to do with the Lawal’s case will define the difference between the APC and the ousted PDP.
Except the Osinbajo committee finds something redeeming of Lawal and his office, then the Adamawa-born fellow might be heading for prosecution and possible jail, if the government’s avowed fight against corruption will neither defer to friends nor foes. Nigerians are waiting and watching.