Secret Reporters
Documents obtained by SecretsReporters have revealed a concerning pattern of double payments made by the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority (RBDA) to Caldwell Atlantic Nigeria Limited, a company where key management personnel are tied to Kogi State’s civil service. The payments, totaling ₦220,235,175.06, were made for the construction of roads in Kogi West Senatorial District, despite the company allegedly breaching the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal (CCBT) Act, which prohibits public servants from running private companies, except in the farming sector.
According to records found on Govspend, a platform that tracks government expenditure, the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority made two separate payments for the same contract on three different occasions:
- ₦82,672,093.02 on May 10, 2024, for the construction of the Iyara Ona road in Kogi West.
- ₦86,118,213.95 on November 7, 2022, for the construction of the Iyara Ilupa Okoro farm area road, Kogi West.
- ₦51,444,868.09 on November 3, 2023, for the same Iyara-Ilupa-Okoro farm area road in Kogi West.
Further investigation revealed that the contract for the construction of the Iyara-Ilupa-Okoro farm area road was awarded twice, once in 2022 and again in 2023, for the same project, leading to the double payments.
The company involved, Caldwell Atlantic Nigeria Limited, was incorporated in Ilorin, Nigeria, on February 1, 2007, under Registration Number 679655. The company’s key management includes Rachel Oshanisi, who also serves as a University Administrator at Kogi State University.
Rachel Oshanisi’s role in both the company and the Kogi State Government raises questions about the legality of her involvement in business dealings with government agencies, especially given the potential conflict of interest and the double payments made to her company.
Despite legal protections under the CCBT Act, which aims to prevent public servants from owning or operating private businesses, the company’s involvement in the road construction contracts raises concerns of corruption and misuse of power. However, the law does not apply if the business operates in the farming sector, which may be a key point in any legal defenses.
The revelation of these payments follows ongoing investigations into government spending and corruption, particularly concerning the allocation of public funds to companies connected to public officials. The case highlights the need for greater oversight in the execution of government contracts to ensure transparency and accountability.