The Edo Assets Verification Committee set up by Governor Monday Okpebholo has said two consulting firms took over the role of the Edo state Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) during ex-Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration.
The probe panel stated that the consultants assumed the role of engaging contractors and vendors for Edo state government technology projects and at various times “identify projects to be executed, selected the vendors to execute them.”
The Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, who disclosed this while presenting the panel’s interim report in Benin City, added that the administration committed to pay N5 billion for cyber security software licence for the EdoGov platform.
He said, “Too many bogus claims were replete in this sector. Imagine the Edo state government committing to paying over N5 billion for a cyber security software license for the EdoGov platform for just three years – starting from 2023 to 2025.
“Out of this sum, N1.7 billion has already been paid by the immediate past government. These are just some of the snippets of what we have unraveled. The job of the Committee is still huge.
“By 6th January, 2025, when we return, we will be looking at other critical sectors of the State; the housing sector, education (SUBEB and EDOBEST) amongst others.”