The Benue Executive Council has mandated Hajaig Construction Nig. Ltd to refund N923 million to the state coffers after it allegedly failed to execute a 47.2 kilometre road contract.

The firm was awarded the contract to construct the Daudu-Gbajimba road in Guma, in 2006.

“The road contract was terminated because the company refused to execute the job after collecting the money,” information, culture and tourism commissioner Ngunan Addingi told newsmen in Makurdi on Monday.

According to him, the company refused to execute the project after collecting the money and later moved out of the site.

“The contract was awarded since 2006; there were monies that were released and the firm is owing the state about N923 million. The EXCO has asked the company to refund same,” he said.

She said that the EXCO also approved the termination of the 49.9 kilometre Sankara-Chito-Vaase road construction contract, following the inability of the government to mobilise the contractor to site.

She said that the contract was awarded at the cost of N4.8 billion in 2012.

Addingi further said that the EXCO also approved that a forensic audit of the activities of the Benue Investment and Property Company between 2016 to 2019, be carried out.

“Another forensic audit will also be conducted at the Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS); it will cover the period between 2015 to 2019,” she added.

The commissioner said that the EXCO also approved N10 million for the procurement of prevention equipment against the coronavirus disease and the expansion of the emergency response committee.