Christian Jonathan (NASS)
The House of Representatives Committee on Special Duties, yesterday grilled WEBB FORTAINE over $274 million contract with the Nigerian Customs Service.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Ibrahim Tukura Kabir stated this during a meeting with the management of WEBB FORTAINE in Abuja.
Tukura explained that the company signed a contract with the Ministry of Finance to develop software and a data center for the Nigerian Customs Service between 2006 and 2013. Although the contract has long expired, yet the company allegedly continued to draw resources until 2022 without a valid renewal document.
According to him, the initial contract was valued at $245 million (approximately 87 billion naira), which Tukura labeled as outrageous sum.
Tukura emphasized that there was need for a thorough investigation, saying that the amount of money was too much in the first place.
Tukura also noted that while the company continued to operate from 2013 to 2022, an addendum was signed for a mere six-month extension in between 2019 to 2022.
questioning the legitimacy of their continued work without a valid transfer or handover agreementl.
He said that WEBB FORTAINE operated for over 18 years without a renewed contract while receiving payments.
The chairman said, the committee resolved to investigate the contracts held by WEBB FORTAINE, to know the mode of payments made from 2006 to 2022, and determine any discrepancies.
Tukura stated that if the company is found to have been overpaid, they would be required to refund the excess amount.
The committee also plans to visit WEBB FORTAINE facilities at customs office to assess the infrastructure implemented and the completion status of their project.
In response, Mr. Lanre Balogun, the operations manager of WEBB FORTAINE, asserted that their contract was valid and executed in collaboration with the Nigerian Customs Service. He explained that the contract involved developing a software system for identifying Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) for revenue generation, along with establishing a robust data infrastructure. Balogun added that they had trained Customs staff on the system’s operation and confirmed that their last payment was received on November 2023 , saying they have plans for a formal handover date.
