…Seized Chemicals Sold To Tackle Challenges -MD
By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The Managing Director, MD, of Cross River State Water Board Limited, CRSWBL, Chief Victor Effiom Ekpo, has contradicted and debunked rumours making the rounds in the state that some quantity of water purification chemicals belonging to the state water board was missing.
Speaking with newsmen in Calabar on the issue, at the conference hall of the CRSWBL, MD, alongside other management staff of the organisation averred that the management of the organisation took a decision to sell some of the chemicals to enable the organisation meet up with some pressing problems faced by the organization.
He said, “The sale of the chemicals is a management decision, which was aimed at helping the organization defray some running costs.
“The said chemicals belong to the Cross River State Water Board Limited. The chemicals apprehended in a truck by the Nigeria Police belong to us. They are not stolen property but ours.
“We have some pressing needs like payment of NEPA bills and our energy consumption for Calabar sub-station which is over N16 million monthly.
“So we decided as management to dispose 30 tonnes of limes, 30 tonnes of alum and 200 drums of chlorine.
“This is to settle our bills and some other needs to enable us remain in business as a business entity.”
The MD stated that the chlorine and aluminium sulphate apprehended in a truck by men of the Nigerian Police were supplied to the state water board by a company known as Anngood Global Investment Nigeria Limited, with LPO No. 030 for N88 million.
Ekpo maintained that as a business entity, they were supposed to use the chemicals to treat water, sell it and then pay back the money to the contractor, stressing that unfortunately, certain challenges that needed to be resolved with immediate effect ensued.
The MD added that following the collapse of a number of pumps and paucity of funds to get the pumps fixed, management decided to sell the chemicals, which if allowed to remain in the store house might go bad following the expiring date, which was fast approaching, to enable the organisation tackle some challenges faced by the organization.
Maintaining that the organization had no other option than to market some quantity of chemicals, whose expiring date was almost drawing nearer to enable them tackle the immediate problems, Ekpo stated that management’s action became necessary to enable the company pay off some debts owed the contractor, who had earlier dragged the water board management before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over its inability to defray some debts owed the contractor.
He added, “Based on the contractor’s petition, we were invited for questioning by the EFCC on the July 26, this year through their letter with reference CR:3000/EFCC/UYO/EG/TB/VOL.2/124.”
Throwing more light on the matter, theIn Director of Administration in the board, Mr. Emmanuel Effiong Orok, averred that the chemicals have an expiry date, adding that the only option to avert loses was for the chemicals to be sold to recoup some money.
Orok said, “When chemicals expire, they constitutes huge loss to the organization, hence the decision to duly sell it.”
The MD commended the Nigerian Police for their swift and timely intervention in apprehending the vehicle that carried the goods.
