The office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) has declared that it has been transparent on the construction of a skills acquisition centre and a block of classrooms in Ajeromi, Lagos State and many other such projects.
The OSSAP-SDGs made the declaration in reaction to what it called a misleading report by an online medium in respect of the projects.
According to a statement by the media assistant to the SSAP-SDGs, Desmond Utomwen, the office would not have “dignified the piece with a reply,”but there was the need to set the record straight for the sake of “innocent readers who might not actually understand the crux of the matter.”
The statement reads in part: “This is to state clearly that the report carried a distorted account of the procedure and shows 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 are 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, as there was no ‘issue of fraud or abuse of process’ on the said project.
“OSSAP-SDGs categorically refutes the allegations and has been transparent on the project of the construction of a skills acquisition centre and a block of classrooms in Ajeromi, Lagos State and many of such projects.
“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 TIN of the company will expose if such anomaly exists.
“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 and GPS coordinates provided.
“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 are available to substantiate this fact.
“We assert that the report is marred by inaccuracies, as the award of the contract followed due process and was not arbitrary.
“For transparency and accountability, the OSSAP-SDGs is prepared to provide necessary documents or evidence to support our position. We also welcome further inquiries and investigations to address any lingering doubts.”
. TheWitness
