Ilesa Water Project: Osun Assembly demanded $5m bribe — Embattled consultant
…unfortunate, cheap blackmail from consultant – Speaker
…Threatens consultant with court action
By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo
The embattled coordinator and consultant of the $106million Ilesa Water Project in Osun East Senatorial District, Mrs Tawa Williams has accused the Osun State House of Assembly of demanding a $5 million bribe on the Ilesa Water Project.
She alleged that the Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources, Hon. Nasiru Olateju, demanded the $5m bribe on behalf of the assembly.
Williams made the allegation on Thursday, while featuring on a current affairs radio programme in Osogbo, Osun State capital, monitored by our Correspondent.
It would be recalled that Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke on Wednesday suspended Mrs Tawa Williams as a consultant who is handling the Ilesa Water Project Management over poor work and questionable handling of a $106million loan secured for the project.
According to Williams, the “House of Assembly asked me for $5million and I said I don’t have $5 million to give anyboby. They asked for the money as the take away grant and they are saying they will go to press to declare that the quality of work we have done is not good.
“I told them that one year ago, you were on the site. You were commending us. Now, you will go back to the press and say we have not done well, what would be your reason?
“I kept asking them, What has change between that time House of Assembly visited the site and they credited us. The bank has come and they were amazed about the standard of the quality and quantity of the work we have done.
“I’m saying this from all sense of responsibility. The Chairman of the House Committee on water supply and some of the committees; they called me and my team to the meeting and they were saying that we didn’t give them money and I said i don’t have money to give to them. The money I have is to do the work,” Williams said.
Reacting, the House of Assembly described the allegation against the lawmakers as unfortunate and cheap blackmail from the consultant of the Ilesa Water Project to cover up for her incompetence.
The lawmakers, in a statement signed by Kunle Alabi the Media Aide to the Speaker, Timothy Owoeye, said that sometimes in November during plenary, the Assembly had raised concerns over the poor implementation of the project and the non-execution of a $2m treatment plant.
“Doesn’t it defy logic and common sense that one will request for a $5m bribe on a $2m project?
“The House of Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon Timothy Owoeye has given Engineer Tawa Williams 24hours to retract her bribery allegation against the committee of the Assembly, her failure to do that within the said hours, the Assembly shall be forced to seek redress in court as no amount of blackmail will stop the Assembly from playing its constitutional role.
“Osun House of Assembly will never ask any agency of government or individual for any gratification before it could adequately discharge it’s constitutional duties.
“The said Engineer Tawa Williams had shown that she’s not worthy to have been handed such huge responsibility with her recent outburst of resorting to blackmail to keep afloat with her designation as the consultant of the water project.”
The Speaker charged members of the Committee on Water Resources not to be discouraged in the discharge of their duties, saying “her latest outburst reinforces the need for you to wrap up your work and make your report official.”
