Sustainable Developement Goals SDGs may blacklist Kogi state government for diversion of N600Million grant meant for it’s projects in Kogi state.
The sources among the contractors and SDGs office in the state who confided in Observerstimes Said this developement has affected the release of yearly grant through counterpart funding from the state government,as the assesors from the global body confirmed that funds meant for projects were diverted.
With the ugly developement,state contractors under SDGs were tricked into executing projects with some percentage payments had been thrown into exposure and heavy debrts to Banks, financial institutions, for non-payment of projects already executed few years ago.
Impeccable sources informed the OBSERVERSTIMES that many contractors who bidded and secured jobs from SDGs are now living from hand to mouth, over heavy debts because of government refusal to honour it’s obligations.
SDGs and UBEC jobs is known to be a counterpart funded projects that payment was carried at as at when due,but the reverse is the case in Kogi ,as many years after ,there is no sign of payment in sight after job completion, tricked to accept percentage payments between 30%-50%.
As at press time,more than 12 notable contractors to the state government have died as a result of government deliberate decision not to honor it’s obligations.
It is also in the public domain,that so many had their properties sold by informal borrowing outlets,Banks and other financial institutions to offset debt been owed in Kogi by SDGs contractors.
All appeal to the state government by the indigenous contractors,well meaning individuals,civil society groups has fell on deaf ears of Kogi state government.
The ugly trend has affected SDGs projects in Kogi state in the last few years,as the state government is not honoring it’s counterpart arrangement to access the yearly grant.
