PHCN Contractor Arrested By The SSS Over Alleged Attempt To Defraud INEC


A Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN licensed contractor in Calabar was at the weekend arrested by operatives of State Security Service in Cross River State over alleged attempt to defraud Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC of N200,000 as permission fee to facilitate the installation of a newly acquired transformer by the commission.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Cross River State, Mr Mike Igini, has also accused officials of PHCN of frustrating efforts of the Federal Government in ensuring regular power supply, alleging that PHCN officials over the years had been practicing corruption as their religion.

The contractor also licensed by the Ministry of Power, and a representative of Effanga Electrical Nigeria Limited, Chief E. E Akpanika, after collecting N200, 000 said to be fee for permission to install the transformer acquired by INEC after being in darkness for about two years was arrested by officers of SSS on the orders of the REC.

The state office of INEC in Calabar had for two years, been in blackout due to bad transformer and efforts made by the commission for PHCN officials to replace the transformer did not yield any fruit, instead according to Igini, PHCN had through its actions sabotaged efforts to have a new transformer.

Igini said even when INEC decided to purchase a new 200/33KVA transformer, PHCN gave the commission a quotation of N4 million and some of the contractors sent gave a bill of N2.2m for the installation.

The PHCN staff, who later installed the transformer, which the commission purchased at N900,000 including expenses from Lagos, was allegedly harassed and haunted by some highly placed officials of PHCN.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the licensed electrical contractor was arrested and taken away by men of the SSS, Igini, said after personally procuring the transformer following outrageous quotations from registered PHCN contractors, installing the equipment became a problem.

1 COMMENT

  1. I just wonder why Nigerians are so shameless in corrupt practices. Government at all level in this country has been the flag bearers of corruption in this country. And they will come and say we are fighting corruption. Do they actually thinks people are blind?