Posted by By Andy Ekugo on
Following an embarrassing fourth bid for the Federal Government Special Guest House in Victoria Island, Lagos State in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has cancelled the exercise and ordered an immediate investigation into circumstances that made only one company the sole bidder for the houses in the exercise.
Following an embarrassing fourth bid for the Federal Government Special Guest House in Victoria Island, Lagos State in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has cancelled the exercise and ordered an immediate investigation into circumstances that made only one company the sole bidder for the houses in the exercise. He vowed that those found culpable in any form in the process would be brought to book.
Mimiko was reacting to an outcry that followed the fourth attempt at bidding for the guest houses yesterday in which only one company Intercontinental Spas Abodes and Inns Ltd was the only bidder for the second time in a process that was claimed to have been advertised in three national dailies.
Besides, no specific amount was announced by the so-called sole bidder, rather what was found in the box was a letter "re-affirming what they bidded the last time" which does not represent a fresh bid.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Arc. John Alkali, who anchored the bidding, said "something is wrong," because the same company bidded the last time, but was not considered for meeting up with requirement.
However, Mr. George Ogonyi, the union chairman of the 175 staff members of the guest houses, first raised the alarm, because according to him, the information given to them was that there were several bids for the guest house, but on getting to Abuja, they were piqued that it was only one letter reaffirming a cancelled bid from the same company.
Mimiko told THISDAY, however, that the bid will be re-advertised, but described the bid mid-wifed by the former secretary to the Presidential Committee on Disposal of Federal Government Properties, Professor Philip Ahire, as embarrassing.
He assured Nigerians that in line with the transparency policy of the Federal Government, a transparent exercise wuld be done for the fifth attempt to sell the guest house, while assuring the staff of the guest houses that once the sale is concluded, all outstanding debts owed them would be cleared.
Ahire, who presided over the botched sell of Ikoyi houses which cost the former minister her job, has been relieved of his duty and formerly handed over to the new Secretary, Mr. Babatunde Awojide, two days ago