A Nigerian-based company with a branch in Zamfara State, SOA Alkawari Ltd, has appealed to Zamfara State governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle to order both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development to immediately release their “long overdue” rice subsidy payment receivable from the state government’s civil servants’ welfare scheme executed in June 2020.
In an open letter to the governor tagged: “Save Our Soul”, which was signed by the company’s chief executive officer (CEO) Mr Samuel Olugbenga Asegun, he said under the approval of the governor in June 2020, they were awarded the supply contract by the Directorate of Labour Matters and irrevocable payment guarantees were issued to them by the state’s head of civil service, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.
“The payment terms of the referenced contract provided that Zamfara State government will pay N5,000 per bag on behalf of all benefitting civil servants while the benefitting civil servants would pay N14,000 per bag via salary deduction.
“Furthermore, we were assured by the special adviser to the governor on labour matters that the agreed subsidy shall be paid to us immediately after our delivery of the rice since, according to him, the State Government had provided funds for the payment of the subsidy.
“Trusting on the integrity of your government, we proceeded to take a 120 days loan from Capitalfield Financial Management Limited to enable us to execute the said rice supply. It should be noted that we decided to support your new administration in executing this Staff Welfare Scheme while risking our own lives by defying the then ravaging Covid 19 and the rampancy of banditry in and around Zamfara State.
“Sir, it is almost three years now after the completion of the said supply during which time we have waited painfully, lobbied extensively and pushed very hard for the payment of the promised subsidy without getting our payment”.
The letter noted that “the none payment of the long overdue rice subsidy supply in accordance to the term of the said contract has totally crashed the business of our small company while our loan balance with the lenders has grown more than thrice the amount of the original loan, we actually took due to accumulated monthly interest and daily default penalty. Sadly, our lenders are now in the process of foreclosure on the collateral pledged for the loan while our company’s managing director currently lives under untold pressure and debilitating stress.
“Sir, your goodwill gesture in promoting your Government by supplying rice on credit towards implementing your civil servants Welfare Scheme which actually endeared your new administration then to the generality of the workers in Zamfara State has unfortunately led to the crash of our small business.
“Currently, the life of our managing director is seriously in danger as a result of constant hard pressures and foreclosure plans of our lenders simply because your government has refused to pay us per the agreed terms. We have been treated very unfairly and made to suffer huge losses unjustly.
“Sir, kindly recall that in one of the Ramadan nights of 2021, May 18, 2021 to be precise, our managing director sent a passionate plea to you via WhatsApp over this same matter and you promised upon reading the message that you will do the needful immediately. This is over a year and a half now and nothing is done,” he said.
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