By Sabiu Abdullahi
New details have emerged surrounding a recent financial discrepancy involving James Okwete, a contractor for the Federal Government.
It has been revealed that Okwete, operating under his company, Adatech Integrated Services Limited, returned an overpayment of N30.6 million to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
The excess payment stemmed from a double payment error for a completed contract under the tenure of former Minister Sadiya Umar-Farouq.
The contract in question, valued at N35 million, pertained to the development and enhancement of N-Knowledge Training Manuals for N-Hardware Beneficiaries in the North-Central region (Lot B17) as part of the N-Power programme.
Documents disclose that Okwete’s company was awarded the contract on December 29, 2020, with the announcement made on January 4, 2021.
The approval for the contract was issued by the Director of Procurement, Mr. Shittu F.O., on behalf of Minister Umar-Farouq.
The procurement process involved acquiring specific materials, including a content development manual and training manuals for the N-Tech Hardware track. The total cost of materials amounted to N35 million, inclusive of Value Added Tax.
However, an error was detected in the payment process, leading to an overpayment of N30,607,651.16 to Adatech Integrated Services Limited.
In a letter dated April 27, 2021, the National Social Investment Programme notified the Managing Director of the company, detailing the overpayment and requesting its return.
The letter, signed by Director of Finance and Accounts (NSIP), Adaramoye Joseph, outlined the erroneous payment and provided instructions for the refund.
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs commended Okwete’s prompt action in rectifying the error and noted its commitment to transparency and accountability in financial transactions.
Your reaction