INVESTIGATION: How FMC Bida squandered ₦16.9m on clinics that remain abandoned
By Aliyu Isa
Despite allocating ₦16.9m between 2021 and 2022 for the construction of cottage clinics in Edati, Lapai and Mokwa Local Government Areas (LGAs), the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Bida failed to deliver.
A SolaceBase investigation revealed procedural breaches, and incomplete execution, leaving underserved communities without the promised healthcare facilities. Aliyu Isa reports.
Minna, Niger State
In Edati, Lapai, and Mokwa Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Niger State, communities are still waiting for the cottage clinics that were promised to improve their healthcare access. Between 2021 and 2022, the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Bida allocated N16.9m for the construction of these clinics, with the goal of bringing essential medical services closer to home. However, a months-long investigation by SolaceBase has revealed a project fraught with corruption, procedural violations, and incomplete execution, leaving residents with little to show for the government’s promises.
According to data from the Budget Office of the Federation, the cottage clinic project was one of the 14 initiatives captured in the 2021 Appropriation Bill under the FMC Bida.
Findings showed that N20 million was budgeted for the project, but only the sum total of N16,984,159.86 was eventually disbursed in 2021 and 2022. Details of the payment for the construction of the cottage clinics project were published on Govspend, a website that collects procurement data from the Federal Government’s Open Treasury Portal.
How the contract was awarded
SolaceBase sought further insight into the procurement process and visited FMC Bida on August 15, 2024, to clarify details regarding the project. But the Medical Director, Abubakar Usman declined to comment and requested that an FOI be submitted to the Centre for a detailed explanation.
Complying with this request, SolaceBase filed an FOI application five days later, only for the Centre to respond by demanding a N17,000 fee to print a 340-page document detailing some of the requested information.
The FOI specifically requested details of the procurement processes including evidence of compliance of with relevant sections of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 especially Section 24(1), which mandates that procurement of goods and works to be conducted through open competitive bidding to ensure accountability and transparency.
The application also requested documents related to the tender process, including advertisements, bids received, and selection criteria for the project. Additionally, SolaceBase asked for evidence of project execution, seeking proof of construction or operational facilities in the targeted areas.
The FOI documents revealed that four companies namely, Himlaya Strategies Limited, Desrvik Nigeria Limited, North West Business Solutions, and Kalgannur International Limited bid for the project. The contract was later awarded to Kalgannur International Limited at a cost of N19,418,208. After several deductions, including a one percent stamp duty, the final amount released stood at N16,984,159.86.
In the accompanying technical and financial evaluation report, Usman Tijjani Muhammed, Head of Procurement and Chairman of the Tender Evaluation Committee at FMC Bida, disclosed that a “restricted procurement method” was employed to invite bids for the project.
While Section 40(1) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 permits restricted tendering under specific conditions, it requires prior approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). Although FMC Bida claimed it sought such approval, it failed to provide any evidence to substantiate this claim.
The Public Procurement Act stipulates that restricted tendering is only valid in exceptional cases, such as when a limited number of suppliers can fulfil the project’s requirements or when time and cost constraints make open bidding impractical. Even then, the act mandates that all capable suppliers must be invited, and the process must ensure fair competition. Additionally, it requires that all proceedings be publicly announced, preferably in the procurement journal or other accessible platforms.
SolaceBase findings show that FMC Bida did not publish the tendering proceeding either in the procurement journal or its website where it usually publishes such reports. Additionally, checks on e-tenders, a site that provides public access to tender information across the public sector, yielded no results for the FMC Bida project.
Kalgannur International, which quoted ₦19.4m, won the contract as other bidders proposed higher amounts ranging from ₦22m to ₦29m. However, there was no evidence that the evaluation process considered quality standards or adherence to recommended building specifications.
The Tender Evaluation Committee defended its decision, stating that “the tender submitted by M/S Kalgannur International Limited at ₦19,418,208 with a completion period of two months is substantially responsive.”
Project abandoned as residents suffer access to healthcare
SolaceBase’s on-the-ground investigation revealed that the cottage clinics project remains incomplete, leaving residents of Kpashafu (Mokwa LGA), Efan (Lapai LGA), and Emitasha (Edati LGA) without the promised healthcare facilities. Frustrated residents decried the lack of progress, which continues to deny them easy and affordable access to medical services.
Abandoned clinic in Kpashafu, Mokwa LGA, Niger State
Among the three clinics visited, only the Efan facility in Lapai showed some signs of construction, with its exterior partially painted although the paint had already begun to fade.
Abandoned clinic in Efan, Lapai LGA, Niger State.
For some residents, the consequences of these delays have been life-threatening. Idrisu Mohammed, a 38-year-old resident of Emitasha, recounted being rushed to Kutigi General Hospital in Lavun LGA of the state for emergency appendicitis surgery in September last year.
Idrisu Mohammed, a 38-year-old resident of Emitasha narrates how he was rushed to a hospital in another local government for appendicitis surgery last year September
“It was a harrowing experience. Without quick access to healthcare, it could have been fatal,” he said.
Others have not been as fortunate. Ya Amina, a young pregnant woman, lost her life on the way to Kutigi Hospital when her family couldn’t find a vehicle in time.
“She passed away before we even reached the highway,” her cousin, Mohammed Saidu, disclosed, describing how similar tragedies have claimed other lives in the community due to inadequate healthcare access.
Nasiru Mohammed, a youth leader in Emitasha, appealed to the government to complete the clinic.
“We are calling on the government to fulfil its promise and finish this hospital. Lives are at stake,” he said.
Nasiru Mohammed, a youth leader in Emitasha Village, Edati LGA, Niger State
Abandoned clinic in Emi Tasha village, Enagi LGA, Niger State
Residents of Efan and Kpashafu face equally dire challenges. In Efan, residents travel up to two hours to reach the nearest medical facilities in Ebbo or Gulu, while in Kpashafu, the clinic’s location in a flood-prone area adds another layer of difficulty.
“When it rains heavily, the building is at risk of flooding,” said Abdullahi Adamu, a resident of Kpashafu.
He criticized the lack of consultation with locals before the project began, calling it a missed opportunity to ensure the clinic was both accessible and sustainable.
In the meantime, some residents have repurposed the unfinished structures. Mohammed Gimba, a farmer in Efan, uses the uncompleted clinic as storage for his farm produce, explaining that he also takes care of the facility to prevent further deterioration.
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“I keep my grains here and equally take care of the facility. The facility would have worn out if I had not been taking care of it,” he said.
FMC Committee approved payment despite uncompleted project
One of the documents provided by FMC Bida showed that the Hospital Inspection and Receiving Committee, led by Musa Ladan, recommended the final payment to Kalgannur International, despite the project’s lack of completion. In a letter dated March 22, 2022, Ladan wrote to FMC Bida management, claiming the project was “100% completed,” and requesting the release of the remaining payment.
A screenshot of the report by the FMC Bida committee, recommending that the company be paid the remaining 50 per cent without completing the work
“I wish to inform you that the above Company handling the CONSTRUCTION OF COTTAGE CLINICS IN EDATI, LAPAI AND MOKWA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA LOT 5 at a total cost of N19,418,208.75 (VAT INCLUSIVE) as part of 2021 CAPITAL Projects had achieve 100% level of completion,” Ladan the chairman of the committee wrote to the FMC Bida management.
The request was sent a day after Kalgannur International Limited applied for its outstanding balance, referencing an award letter dated October 4, 2021. Although FMC Bida acknowledged Kalgannur’s request on March 25, 2022, the Hospital Inspection and Receiving Committee had approved the payment three days earlier.
“We refer to your letter of award dated 4th October 2021 with reference number
MD/FMCB/CAP/VOL 1/049… We wish to submit our application for payment for the completion of work at site…,” the company wrote to FMC Bida on March 21, 2022.
When approached for comment, FMC Bida’s Medical Director, Abubakar Usman, declined to respond. He told our reporter to follow the usual communication chain of FMC Bida. When asked to clarify the communication chain or whether he wanted SolaceBase to submit another FOI request, Usman refused to comment further.
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When SolaceBase contacted an official of Kalgannur International, Mohammed Sani, about the status of the project, he asserted that his company had completed the project as contracted.
“We managed resources effectively to execute the project,” Sani said, clarifying that Kalgannur was only contracted to construct, not furnish, the clinics.
When told about SolaceBase’s findings, Sani explained that the construction was done in accordance with the money given to the company.
“The money is not even up to N20 million,” he protested, adding that he had to manage resources.
According to him, he had to go back to one of the construction sites at Efan to fix some roofing blown off by the wind. However, his remarks left unresolved questions about the quality and completeness of the work, which local residents described as far from satisfactory.
Expert insights on procurement and legal irregularities
Lukman Raji, a Kwara-based lawyer with expertise in procurement laws, described the contract as fraudulent. He argued that the funds allocated for the project were grossly insufficient to construct even a basic healthcare facility.
“The amount awarded for this contract cannot build one small hospital,” Raji emphasized.
Raji pointed out that both the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Bida and the construction company violated Section 16(5) of the Procurement Act, 2007. This section specifies that suppliers, contractors, or service providers, whether acting individually or jointly, are fully liable for any failure to perform or improper execution of contracts awarded under the Act.
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“Suppliers, contractors, or service providers acting jointly are jointly and severally liable for all obligations and responsibilities arising from this Act,” the law states.
Furthermore, Raji noted that the actions of FMC Bida and the contractor also contravened Section 58(4b) of the Procurement Act, which defines procurement fraud as “conducting or attempting to conduct procurement fraud by means of fraudulent and corrupt acts, unlawful influence, undue interest, favour, agreement, bribery, or corruption.”
Section 58(1) of the Act outlines penalties for such offenses, stipulating that “any natural person not being a public officer who contravenes any provision of this Act commits an offense and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not less than five calendar years but not exceeding ten calendar years without an option of fine.”
Raji concluded that the blatant disregard for procurement laws and accountability in this case highlights systemic corruption, calling for an investigation and strict enforcement of existing legal provisions to deter future violations.
This SolaceBase publication is produced with support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under the collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusion and Accountability Project (CMEDIA) funded by the MacArthur Foundation.
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