Chairman of Projects Verification Committee in Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria, Alh. Sabi’u Sani, has debunked a statement credited to him that some contractors in the previous administration received payment and abandoned the projects.
” I wish to clarify that I was misquoted and my statement was completely taken out of context,” the committee Chairman explained.
Sani’s reaction in a statement titled: ‘Clarification On The Statement Credited To Me Regarding Ongoing Projects In Kaduna State’, followed publications quoting him to have said that some contractors collected money and abandoned projects in Kaduna state
According to Sani, in a statement made available to newsmen at the weekend, ” the primary mandate of the committee is to determine the status of ongoing projects and those in the pipeline, in order to ensure the speedy completion of all priority projects in the state.
” I shared with the media information on the extent of work on some of the projects and what the contractors informed us are required to speedily complete the projects. The statement credited to me that some contractors collected payments and abandoned their projects, is incorrect and merely a product of the fertile imagination of the reporters.
“The committee visited some project sites on Friday, 14th July, 2023. At the end of the visits, I addressed the media on the Committee’s mandate, our findings so far and next steps.
“In the course of the interaction, some media team members attached to the Government House asked some questions on the visitation which I responded to as follows: “that we are amazed by the number and quality of projects so far completed, and that several projects are at completion level with some requiring minimal funds to complete.
“I also mentioned that some were being delayed due to ongoing compensation issues, especially where some residential areas are affected, where I also said that our report will guide the Government in prioritising some projects and speedily completing them in fulfillment of its promises to the people of Kaduna State.”
Sani who expressed displeasure on how he was misquoted in the media further explained that: ” one reporter then asked a question about those who collected payments and abandoned their project sites, to which I responded that every project has its record. If there is a proven case of collection of payment and abandonment of project, the State Government knows the right step to take in the circumstance”, he concludes.