Works Commissioner Accused Of Runnng Ministry As Personal Enterprise

Commissioner of Works in Borno state, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed Bukar has been accused of refusing to complete the 2nd floor of the ministry burnt several years after he was said to have collected twenty-six million naira (N26, 000,000) for the renovation over two years ago.

According to sources close to the Commissioner, the work which was approved as direct labour was taken over by the Commissioner when he deployed his personal masons and labourers to start work for the renovation only to abandon the work and lock up the floor after receiving the full payment of the project sum.

“the problem with Alhaji Ibrahim Bukar like most commissioners under this administration is this idea of personalizing every project to themselves. The Commissioner of Works particularly, since coming to the ministry has been engaging every direct labour work of the ministry as his personal project.”

It was also learnt that, rehabilitation works at Mafoni, Kumshe and Gwange areas, which is supposed to follow certain procedures were taken over by the commissioner, a situation which informed poor quality of work and lack of completion of projects.

“Also purchase of works equipments like machineries for the ministry is directly handled by the commissioner without involving the technical staff, as such poor and refurbished equipment have been procured for the state at very exorbitant prices. He has been running the ministry as his personal enterprise.

“In fact, rehabilitation of Hajj camp before the 2012 hajj exercise is another example, when the governor visited the camp and directed for the rehabilitation, the commissioner deployed his personal staff for work at the site even before the technical staff of the ministry could go to undertake assessment of work and prepare the bill of quantity.” He said.