AN OPEN SOS TO HIS EXCELLENCY, PASTOR UMO ENO, EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF AKWA IBOM STATE, FROM THE FORUM OF CONTRACTORS FOR MODEL PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND HEALTH CENTERS

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AN OPEN SOS TO HIS EXCELLENCY, PASTOR UMO ENO, EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF AKWA IBOM STATE, FROM THE FORUM OF CONTRACTORS FOR MODEL PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND HEALTH CENTERS

Your Excellency,

We, the contractors entrusted with the noble responsibility of constructing Model Primary Schools and Health Centers across Akwa Ibom State, write this letter as a matter of utmost urgency. We are compelled to bring to your attention the egregious, immoral, and outright illegal actions perpetrated by certain powerful individuals operating within the Labour Committee under the Ministry of Finance. These actions threaten not only the sanctity of governance in Akwa Ibom but also the legacy of your administration.

At the heart of this crisis is the criminal deduction of staggering sums—N100 million and N50 million respectively—from awarded contracts, allegedly for “stakeholders.” These deductions, Your Excellency, were neither communicated in the award letters nor agreed upon during any phase of the contractual process. They are, quite simply, theft masquerading as administrative procedures.

A CABAL AGAINST DEVELOPMENT

What we are witnessing is the coordinated operation of a cabal—faceless, insidious, and deeply entrenched—working to line their pockets at the expense of public trust and the developmental agenda you have so passionately championed. This is corruption of the highest order, one that not only undermines the state’s integrity but also jeopardizes the very essence of governance: accountability, transparency, and the delivery of tangible benefits to the people of Akwa Ibom.

We must ask, Your Excellency, who are these so-called stakeholders? By what authority do they demand such egregious sums? On what grounds can they deduct upwards of N100 million per contract, when many of these contracts are barely profitable to begin with? The contractors now face a grim reality: struggling to complete projects that are meant to uplift our communities, all while having their financial lifelines brazenly siphoned off by a few greedy individuals.

A THREAT TO QUALITY AND INTEGRITY

Your Excellency, these deductions are not mere inconveniences; they are catastrophic. The contractors—whose livelihoods and reputations hinge on delivering these projects—are now unable to adequately fund the completion of works. What this means, in practical terms, is substandard output, delayed timelines, and, ultimately, a betrayal of the trust that Akwa Ibom people have placed in your administration.

This malpractice also creates an avenue for your political adversaries to tarnish your reputation. They will use the failure of these projects, caused by corrupt elements within your government, to undermine your laudable achievements. If allowed to persist, this systemic corruption will poison the very foundation of your developmental vision for Akwa Ibom State.

STEALING BY TRICKS

To add insult to injury, these individuals have resorted to threats and intimidation, warning contractors that any attempt to expose these activities will result in being blacklisted from future government projects. This is extortion. It is daylight robbery. It is stealing by tricks, perpetrated with utter disregard for the consequences on governance, public service delivery, and the contractors themselves.

No meaningful development can occur in an environment where corruption flourishes unchecked. The labor and sacrifice of contractors who were supposed to be empowered through these contracts are now being exploited by those who see public service as an avenue for personal enrichment.

OUR PLEA FOR IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION

1. Your Excellency, we call on you, as the custodian of the people’s trust and the face of this administration, to take swift and decisive action.

2. Launch an immediate investigation into the activities of the Labour Committee under the Ministry of Finance and hold those responsible for these illegal deductions to account.

3. Establish clear guidelines to protect contractors from such extortionist practices, ensuring that the terms of contracts are strictly adhered to without hidden charges or “stakeholder” deductions.

4. Create a whistleblowing mechanism that allows contractors and citizens alike to report corrupt practices without fear of retaliation.

Your Excellency, the time to act is now. These actions by corrupt individuals are not only sabotaging your administration’s developmental strides but are also eroding public confidence in governance. The contractors are exhausted. They are disillusioned. But they remain hopeful that you, a man of integrity and principle, will rise to the occasion and rescue them from the stranglehold of this cabal.

If this issue is not addressed, the consequences will be dire: half-completed projects, widespread dissatisfaction, and the tarnishing of the image of an administration that has otherwise demonstrated its commitment to progress and the welfare of the people.

The future of Akwa Ibom depends on bold leadership that will not allow corruption to flourish. We trust in your leadership to prioritize the plight of contractors and, by extension, the prosperity of the state.

We remain loyal to your administration’s vision and are hopeful for your immediate intervention in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Forum of Contractors for Model Primary Schools and Health Centers in Akwa Ibom State

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