The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has apologized to the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola for accusing his ministry of paying a company as reimbursement for a road project executed by the church.
It would be recalled that a senior official of the RCCG, Pastor Niyi Adebanjo, had in a petition submitted to the Senate, alleged that the Federal Government paid the sum of N145million to a construction firm as reimbursement for a road project executed RCCG as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR.
Adebanjo submitted the petition on behalf of the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, which was referred to Senate committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
However, at a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Petition, presided by the Chairman, Senator Ayo Akinyelure on Thursday, the petitioner, RCCG openly apologised to the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola over allegations made against the Minister.
Adebanjo had realized that Fashola has not made any payment to the contractor since assuming office in 2015 and that 26% paid to the contractor was paid under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, years before RCCG intervened to build the road.
Fashola, in his response, accepted the apologies of the RCCG, offered through Pastor Adebanjo but noted that it was not for himself as he was not personally offended but on behalf of civil servants of his ministry whom he believed were wrongly maligned by the allegations.
The former Lagos governor, however assured the Senate that there was no wrongdoing on the part of the Ministry of Works because the mobilisation and first certificate payments made to the contractor were made as stipulated in the contract and years before RCCG intervened in the road.
He further explained that the road was not a federal road but was scheduled for repairs by the Federal Government as a constituency project.
Fashola continued by stating that the contractor could not continue with the road project because no further funding was budgeted for the continuation of the roads in the subsequent years after initial mobilization to site.
He added that it was after the road was abandoned due to MP funding that RCCG without informing the Ministry of Works volunteered to complete the road.
The Minister said since the RCCG intervened in the construction of the road, no money had been paid to the contractor as no funds were available to be paid and no demand for payment by the original contractor.
Fashola therefore, advised the Senate to ensure that budgeting for federal roads are done properly by bulk funding road projects such that contractors would be paid on the basis of how quickly they complete their projects rather than inadequate piecemeal budgeting incapable of motivating contractors to remain on site.
He also urged RCCG and other members of the public to take advantage of the Freedom of Information Act to obtain accurate information from government rather than assume or speculate falsely as done in this case
In his remark, Senator Smart Adeyemi described the Minister as a person of solid and impeccable character and a hardworking public official.
