According to a new report, the World Bank has blacklisted 18 Nigerian individuals and firms for engaging in corrupt practices, fraud and collusive practices in its 2021 the fiscal year 2021.
A list of debarred individuals and firms was presented in a new annual report titled World Bank Group Sanctions System FY21.
The debarments were made by the World Bank Sanctions Board, World Bank Chief Suspension and Debarment Officer and the African Development Bank.
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The debarments made by AfDB were recognised by World Bank, making the affected firms to be barred under the cross-debarment policy.
Based on the World Bank Sanctions Board’s decision, Mr. Elie Abou Ghazaleh and Mr Fadi Abou Ghazaleh, alongside their firm, Abou Ghazaleh Contracting Nigeria Limited, were debarred for six months for collusive practices.
Based on the decision of the World Bank Chief Suspension and Debarment Officer, a Nigerian firm, Swansea Tools Resources, was debarred for fraudulent practices for two years and 10 months.
Referred to under Sanctions Case No 651, it was disclosed that the firm misrepresented its past experience in its bid for a road maintenance contract.
“The SDO imposed on the corporate respondent a debarment with the conditional release for a minimum period of five years. On the individual respondent, the SDO imposed a debarment with the conditional release for a minimum period of four years. As aggravating factors, the SDO considered that (i) the corporate respondent engaged in a repeated pattern of misconduct, and (ii) the individual respondent was the managing director of the corporate respondent.”
The matter which involved Asbeco Nigeria was presented under Sanctions Case No 675.
It read in part, “The SDO determined that the respondent, a Nigerian firm, engaged in corrupt practices in connection with an erosion control contract under an erosion and watershed management project in Nigeria. Specifically, the SDO found that the respondent (i) made a payment of N2m (approximately $12,000) to the project’s engineer to influence his actions in connection with the procurement and/or execution of the contract, and (ii) made a facilitation payment of N50,000 (approximately $160) to the project’s cashier to influence her actions in connection with the execution of the same contract.
“The SDO imposed on the respondent a debarment with the conditional release for a minimum period of five years. In determining this sanction, the SDO considered as aggravating factors the respondent’s (i) engagement in a repeated pattern of corrupt activity and (ii) interference with INT’s investigation, noting in particular that the respondent engaged in acts intended to materially impede the exercise of the Bank’s contractual audit rights.”
Based on the World Bank’s Sanctions Board Decision, A.G. Vision Construction Nigeria Limited was debarred for fraudulent practices and collusive practices for four years and six months.
Not included in the report is a recent debarment of a Nigerian consultant, Mr Salihu Tijani, who is a consultant for the National Social Safety Nets Project, a project designed to ensure cash transfers to poor and vulnerable households in Nigeria.
Tijani was barred for 38 months for engaging in corrupt practices. [Punch]
