Lukman Abdulmalik
The Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Lagos, paid N308.27m to UTIL-FORTE LIMITED as balance payment for the construction of blocks of classrooms at Christ Apostolic Grammar School Junior, Iperu, Ogun State, but a site inspection months later found no workers or construction activity at the project site.
An independent check of government expenditure records by THE STAR showed that the payment was made on December 13, 2025, under payment number 1001326337-25.
The record lists the transaction as “Being balance payment for Construction of Block of Classrooms at Christ Apostolic Grammar School Junior, Iperu, Ogun State.”
The payment amounted to N308,268,158.56, with the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology – Lagos listed as the paying organisation and UTIL-FORTE LIMITED as the beneficiary.
The expenditure record also identifies the payer code as 0215028001.
Site inspection
THE STAR’s inspection of the project site in August 2026 found that construction had progressed to the decking stage, while work had also commenced on the remaining section of the building.
However, there was no contractor or construction worker at the site during the inspection, and no construction activity was ongoing.
The inspection therefore raises questions about the status of a project for which a balance payment of more than N308m had already been made in December 2025.
While the physical structure indicates that substantial work has been carried out, the project was not completed at the time of the August 2026 inspection.
The inspection could not independently establish whether the absence of workers was temporary, whether the project had been formally suspended, or whether there were outstanding contractual issues between the implementing agency and the contractor.
It also could not establish the total contract value or whether the N308.27m payment represented the final payment under the contract beyond the description contained in the expenditure record.
Accountability questions
The payment record and physical inspection point to the need for clarification from the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Lagos, which is listed as the implementing organisation.
The agency should explain the status of the project, the total contract sum, the agreed completion date and the circumstances surrounding the December 2025 balance payment.
It should also clarify whether the contractor has been formally directed to return to the site and complete the outstanding work.
For a public project intended to provide additional classroom infrastructure, delays after substantial public funds have been paid raise concerns about value for money and timely delivery.
Tracka.ng, a civil society organization that tracks government expenditures is therefore calling on the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology to provide an update on the project and ensure that UTIL-FORTE LIMITED returns to site to complete the outstanding construction works.
The case also underscores the importance of tracking public expenditure beyond payment records.
While government spending data can establish that N308.27m was paid to the contractor, physical verification remains necessary to determine whether the infrastructure corresponding to that expenditure has actually been delivered.
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