-Suswan, Akume Owe Value Trust N358m – Okupe
SENIOR Special Assistant to the President Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe Wednesday said Benue State was still owing his company over N358m for a contract it executed on the state’s behalf, challenging the former governor, Senator George Akume, and Governor Gabriel Suswam to speak the truth on the matter.
The Peoples Democratic Party through its scribe, Mr. Olisah Metuh said the party had summoned Okupe, to explain his roles in the said contract with Benue State.
President Jonathan had been asked to sack Okupe over the issue of the contract, which opposition parties had accused him of abandoning after collecting huge sums of money.
But Okupe is insisting that his company asked for variation on the contract, since its terms had changed, but that the state refused to pay.
Okupe said the variation was made by his company in April 2007.
“The cost of equipment had increased and there were provisions for variation, but the Benue State Government ignored the request,” said Dr. Okupe.
“Having done an approved 40 per cent of the job of N2.3bn and only paid N545m after deductions of VAT, after an additional N358m was done, the Benue state government refused to pay.
“The price of diesel, one of the major raw materials of the ingredient has gone up to N90 litre from N20.”
“The non-payment of the IPC 4 certificate of N358 million was the major reason why VTIL, failed to complete the roads as scheduled, though, the certificate is for work already done.”
He threatened to sue the state government for “defamation of character”.
Okupe also said the state executive council said the only way the matter could be resolved was through arbitration as he said both the Economic and Financial Crime Commission and the Federal Ministry of Works had all inspected the work done
Metuh said, “We invited Dr. Okupe because this matter is in the court of public opinion, the documents he presented to us are shocking.”
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Okupe said he had presented relevant documents to the party, claiming that the state was still owing his company.
He said his company, Value Trust Investment Limited, had executed the contracts above the money it got for the job.
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