The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) has denied the report that it paid the sum of N141.1m to an Abuja-based restaurant two weeks before the expiration of the Buhari administration.
The office described the report by online media as not only misleading but false and a calculated attempt to smear the good image of the Office.
A statement issued by the head of Communications in OSSAP-SDGs, Rotimi Ajayi stated that the office would not have dignified the piece with a reply, but for the innocent readers who might not understand the crux of the matter, there is a need to set the records straight.
“This is to state clearly that the reports carried a distorted account of the procedure and show the ignorance of the writer on how things operate in government institutions.
“We wish to state categorically that the information contained in the said publication is inaccurate and very likely a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the issues with the intent to embarrass the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, as there was no issue of fraud or abuse of process in the execution of the said project,” he said.
OSSAP-SDGs categorically refutes the allegations and insists that it has been transparent in the construction of the Skills Acquisition Centre and a Block of Classrooms in Lagos State, as well as many similar projects across the country.
He noted that according to records provided by the company during the bid process, the company in question is duly registered with valid incorporation and tax documents with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.
“The allegation of it being a mere restaurant is equally from the figment of the imagination of the author, as the project was executed by a team of professionals with the necessary qualifications and expertise in construction and engineering.
“The structures were built in accordance with specifications and industry standards, as confirmed by photographic evidence with GPS coordinates provided,” he stated.
The office noted that the decision to relocate the project from its original site in Ajeromi was necessitated by the insufficient space at the original location, to ensure the successful completion of the project.
“Contrary to the claims in the report, the project was executed as specified, and the block of classrooms and skills acquisition centre were completed and commissioned for use.
Photographic evidence with GPS coordinates is available to substantiate this fact.
“In conclusion, we assert that the report is marred by inaccuracies, as
the award of the contract followed due process and was not arbitrary,” he stated.
