By Munyal MANUNYI
A construction company in Adamawa State, Yargawa Building & General Services, has lodged a petition with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding an alleged contract scam involving Mr. Solomon Abafras, the former Chairman of Guyuk Local Government.
The petition, filed on March 30, 2024, details that Yargawa was awarded a contract worth N63.3 million to construct office blocks for the Education Authority Department of Guyuk Local Government in 2022. According to the agreement, the local government was to pay 40% of the contract sum as a mobilization fee, with the remaining 60% payable upon project completion. However, Yargawa claims it received only N23,800,000, falling short of the expected mobilization payment.
Due to insufficient funds and the tight deadline for project delivery, Yargawa was compelled to source additional funds and managed to complete 70% of the project, incurring extra costs amounting to N17,069,179.85. Despite this progress, the petition alleges that Abafras rescinded the contract and resorted to direct labor for project completion, reportedly re-awarding the contract to another company in violation of Adamawa’s procurement laws.
The petition claims that funds intended for the project have already been released to the council, yet Abafras has not made the necessary payments to Yargawa, leading to serious financial strain on the company. Yargawa calls upon the EFCC to investigate the matter, asserting that Abafras’s actions constitute corruption and fraudulent practices that harm society.
Yargawa is hopeful that a thorough investigation will reveal further misconduct during Abafras’s tenure as Executive Chairman of Guyuk Local Government.