The management of Wall House company, has debunked the allegation that the company was paid the sum of N1.2 billion for the supply of construction equipment and that the contract was not documented.
In a statement, Martin Agba the General Manager of the company said that the company had only received the sum of N945 million and that the company had already delivered 17 units out of the 25 units of construction equipment imported to the state governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma , stating that the remaining would be delivered after the lockdown.
Martin Agba who was reacting to the statement credited to the Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Declan Emelumba that the Wall House ( WA) Limited was allegedly paid N1.2 Billion for the supply of construction equipment and that the said contract was undocumented.
The statement said: “We wish to state that these statements are totally false and we therefore deny them in the strongest possible terms.
Here are the facts:
In response to the Bbd guidelines issued by the Association of Imo State Local Government Transition Chairmen for the procurement and delivery of construction equipment to Owerri, we sent in our priced Bill of Quantities (BOQ) on 10th July, 2019.
“We were subsequently invited to make our presentation and on the 19th of September 2019, we were chosen as the preferred bidder for the supply of 57 (fifty seven) units of Caterpillar earthmoving and construction equipment as specified in the Memorandum of Agreement and Letter of Award.
“In accordance with the Article 8 of the Agreement, we were entitled to a staggered payment of 50% of the contract sum while we undertook to commence the procurement of the equipment immediately. The same week, our procurement staff left for the United States of America to commence the procurement process.”
It further stated, “under the first phase of the procurement, we are to deliver a total of 27 units of these equipment.
“By a letter dated March 2, 2020, which was duly acknowledged by The Secretary to the Imo State Government, we notified the Imo State Government of the arrival of 25 units of graders and payloaders from the United States of America. We requested the government to provide us a location in Owerri to deliver the equipment.
“On March 23, 2020, our chairman, Chief Chuka Odom met the governor, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodinma in his office in Owerri and briefed him personally on the state of the procurement. His Excellency directed his Chief of Staff, Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie to provide the company a location to deliver the equipment.
“On March 24, 2020, a total of 17 units of these equipment, comprising 7 payloaders and 10 graders were delivered on the instruction of the governor to Heroes Square in the presence of Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie and Lady Ruby Emele in charge of Local Government affairs. Our chairman personally oversaw the delivery.
“The remaining 10 units of equipment are currently in Lagos and would have been delivered to Owerri if not for the lockdown and restriction of movement. These will be delivered as soon as movement resumes.
“Contrary to the allegation of Mr. Emelumba, we have received the sum of N945,000,000.00 ( Nine Hundred & Forty Five Million Naira) representing about 50% of the entire contract sum.
Continuing Agba said: “We are therefore at a total loss, against the foregoing, the motive behind the unwarranted, malicious and libelous allegations made against our company by the said commissioner.
“We have absolute faith in the integrity of the high office of the governor of Imo State and its officials to set the records straight.
“We shall deliver the remaining 10(ten) units of equipment as soon as movement resumes.
“It is our belief that government is a continuum and we shall duly execute this contract in terms of the agreement and expect the Association of Local Government Chairmen, which is a separate arm of government, to fulfill its own obligations under the contract.”
SUNNEWS
