Ilesa Water Project: Osun House of Assembly demands $5 million bribe – embattled consultant, Tawa Williams
By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo
The embattled coordinator and consultant of the $106m 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 allegation on Thursday, while featuring on a current affairs radio program in Osogbo, Osun State capital, monitored by Our Correspondent.
It would be recalled that Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke yesterday 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 House of Assembly asked me for five million dollars and I said I don’t have $5 million to give anybody. 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 as 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 of water supply and some of the committee they call 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
When contacted, Kunle Alabi, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Timothy Owoeye, said the Assembly will react to the allegation at the appropriate time.
