Enoch Adeboye’s Redeemed Christian Church of God has apologised to Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing, over a contract petition against him.

Representing RCCG, the petitioner, Niyi Adebanjo, apologised to Mr Fashola, claiming that the petition was not targeted at him but meant to expose some perceived sharp practices.

Mr Adebanjo added that Mr Adeboye and the RCCG assumed that the federal government planned to approve another payment for a road rehabilitated by Mr Adeboye as part of the church’s corporate social responsibility.

“The rehabilitation of the road was awarded and paid for by Pastor Enoch Adeboye. Hence, any further claim by any company should be seen as illegal and unjust.

“Ministry of Works and Housing deserves an apology from us, and because the whole world is listening to us, I tender that apology unreservedly,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Fashola had clarified the payment to a construction firm, Cartil Construction Nigeria Limited, regarding the rehabilitation of Ife-Ifewara road in Osun.

The Redeemed Church had alleged that Fashola paid the contractor to rehabilitate the road between 2016 and 2019.

The Director of Press and Publicity, FMWH, Boade Akinola, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Ms Akinola explained that Mr Fashola was speaking at the Public Hearing of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

Mr Fashola debunked the allegation by the Redeemed Church that the federal government paid the contractor. The minister explained that Cartill got the contract five years before President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime and six years before he was appointed works minister.

He said further that his predecessor only approved the mandatory 15 per cent mobilisation fee on March 31, 2011, and another payment made after the work had reached about 26.21 per cent on December 29, 2011.

“These payments were all made four years before the Buhari’s administration,” explained Mr Fashola.

He noted that the ministry did not pay the contractor as a refund or certify any work done between 2016 and 2019. Mr Fashola added that the road in question was not a federal road. Still, the contract was initiated as “Parliamentary Constituency Project,” domiciled in the ministry’s budget.

(NAN)