Editor’s note: Former governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has cut a niche for himself as one of the most outstanding politicians in Nigeria, following the lofty achievements his administration recorded in Lagos state. But recent allegations that a questionable expenditure for the upgrade of a website in his name was approved under his watch has raised some unanswered questions.
Babatunde Raji Fashola
Details of the contract which was made available by the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, in a budget report, stated that the upgrade of www.tundefashola.com website which was executed by Info Access Plus Limited was done at the cost of N78,300,000.00.
A report on Sahara Reporters dated August 07, 2015, said the story was broken by BudgIT with reference to the website of the Lagos State Procurement Agency. The whistle blowing site further estimated that a WordPress website, like http://tundefashola.com/http://tundefashola.com/should not cost more than N3million, according to expert opinions.
Under the details Of contracts awards for 2014, Number 13, highlights the controversial website saga
While many Nigerians are still in shock and disbelieve regarding the questionable sum approved for the upgrade of a website, the saga has now taken another dimension following denials by the IT firm named by the Lagos state procurement office as receiving N78 million for the upgrade of the site.
The Defence
Info Access Plus Limited in a Premium Times report of August 9, 2015, denied ever receiving N78 million for the job. The IT company said it was given N12.5 million for the upgrade and eventually executed the contract at the sum of N10 million.
Detailing its own side of the story, a statement by the IT company which was made available by the online news paper reads:
Our attention is drawn to the twitter campaign alleging that the Lagos State Government (LASG), led by His Excellency, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN spent Seventy Eight Million Naira (N78M) to upgrade the www.tundefashola.com web site, a site dedicated to giving citizens unfettered access to the Governor’s daily activities and open access to information. It is imperative to state here that, the website in question is not Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola’s personal website but an official website which reports and documents his official activities as a way of socially accounting for his stewardship to the people of Lagos State. This initiative of having an official website for the Governor was to build on the earlier commitment to open access which saw Governor Fashola being the first serving governor to publish his telephone number on the pages of newspapers. As pressure mounted on that number, the website and all of its social media handles became alternative platforms for people to directly engage with their elected governor.
While we do not hold brief for the Lagos State Government, the selective loading of contracts awarded and executed by the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency is itself suspect and aimed at a pre-determined end. The statement of the Contract Line Item and the cost ascribed on the website of the agency are therefore misleading and mischievous.
For avoidance of doubt, we are by this medium therefore laying bare the facts for the public:
Introduction
The former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, set out to streamline easy access to himself, while in office and to document his activities for the citizens.
From 2008 and up till May 29, 2015, the www.tundefashola.com web site has processed thousands of press releases/speeches, more than 6 million pictures, thousands of videos to generate world class, content-rich online information collaterals for the former Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN.
The same www.tundefashola.com web site provides great opportunities for the Lagos State Government, as it collates all activities of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, and his government during his two terms.
What Did LASG Get For the alleged “N78M”?
- 5m was quoted for the upgrade of the www.tundefashola.com web site, which includes complete re-design of all the hundreds of page templates. Meanwhile, the LASG spent less than N10m on this and not N78M being bandied on the social around.
- Info Access Plus Limited will provide free technical support for the entire life cycle of the web site.
- Info Access Plus Limited will manage the contents of the site, which consist of press releases, speeches, photos, videos, etc for one year.
- Info Access Plus Limited developed and managed the first and only web-based 1-year Countdown Clock to May 29, 2015 on a 24-hourly basis off the back of this same service cost for a period of 1 year from 2014 to May 29, 2015.
- Info Access Plus Limited developed mobile apps for the top four platforms, namely Apple iOS, Google Play, Microsoft Windows Phone 8 and Blackberry World off the back of this same service cost.
- Info Access Plus Limited will provide free technical support throughout the life cycles of all these mobile apps also off the back of this same service cost.
For the Records
- In addition, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, personally paid for the www.brforg.org web site, even when he was the Lagos State Governor. He felt that www.brforg.org is the online presence of his Non-Governmental Organization, BRF Organization. Again, we state for the records, that the website in question is the official website of the Governor of Lagos State and not Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola’s personal website as being disparagingly alleged by the campaigners.
Quality Software Development Takes Serious Effort, Time and Resources
- According to Bloomberg, theObamacare Enrollment System web site costs more than $2 Billion.
- According to the YCharts, theAnnual Facebook Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $2.153B from revenue of $12.47B.
- According to the same YCharts, theAnnual Twitter Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $446.31M from revenue of $1.403B.
- According to the same YCharts, theAnnual Microsoft Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $33.04B from revenue of $93.58B.
- According to the same YCharts, theAnnual Google Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $25.69B from revenue of $66B.
- According to the same YCharts, theAnnual Apple Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $112.26B from revenue of $182.80B.
- All these private sector driven Operating Costs still run into several billions, while taking serious effort to reduce waste.
- It’s evident from these stated facts that good products take huge amount of planning, time and resources.
- Was the Facebook built and maintained with less than $500,000? Anyone making this claim is dubious.
Signed on Behalf of Info Access Plus Limited
More Questions Than Answers
As commendable as the efforts of Info Access Plus Limited is in trying to clarify matters on the bogus sum involved in the upgrade, it is even more puzzling that the company itself which is in the business of building and upgrading websites for its so called clients is not recognized by Google search as having a website of its own.
While it will be against the principles of fair hearing to accuse Fashola of graft especially when neither the former governor, widely seen as one of few upright politicians, nor any of his representatives are yet to respond to the allegations, it is however important to note that the website saga has the semblance of a white elephant project.
The claims by the procurement office that such huge sum was used to upgrade an ordinary website is absurd, ridiculous and suspicious.
The suspicions have even heightened following suggestions by expert opinions that the funds claimed to have been used to upgrade the Fashola website surpasses that used to start up Facebook and Twitter all together.
As if the website saga is not enough surprise, other huge sums claimed to have been spent on the purchase of 60 units of Jeeps for the High Court of Lagos State at the cost of N751m and the N330m spent on the residence for the deputy governor among other spending on so called projects as reported by budget report have raised eyebrows.
These figures appear to support the criticism by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the huge debt burden of N418.2 billion left by Babatunde Fashola, for his successor, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode cast doubt on the gains of the infrastructure development brought about by the loans of his administration.
It is however worthy to note that even though the budget report on the website upgrade by the procurement agency is not indicting Fashola or anyone for that matter, it suffice to say that some claims made in the sheet appear to fall short of the standards of transparency, civic engagement and accountability expected in public finance.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the original author. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of myghanaweb.blogspot.com, its editors or other contributors.
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